Hidden Identities
by ScarletCarousel
Summary: Future!Tokyo AU. In a city tainted by masked gangs and vigilantes, university student Kagome Higurashi finds her life altered after a spontaneous act of compassion towards an injured stranger. 3rd Place Best AU, IYFG Q409, Nominated Best Romance IYFG Q409
1. Unintentional Accomplice

**Disclaimer:** The characters of InuYasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

**Acknowledgements:** Many, many thanks to my beta, the lovely Fenikkusuken, who has not only been through about four drafts of this fic, but didn't panic originally when I said "I've got this one-shot which has gone slightly out of control"… and dropped all of it (including all the subsequent chapters) on her at once.

**A/N:** I blame Batman.

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_Almost home, almost home, almost home…._

It was one of _those_ February nights. Dark, miserable, and cold. Kagome Higurashi wrapped her coat more closely around herself as she hurried home, her footsteps clattering too loudly in the narrow empty street. She knew that she shouldn't be walking alone this late at night, but the evening operation she'd begged to watch had experienced complications, and a two hour surgery had turned into a six hour marathon. _I wish I could've ordered a taxi, but I need to eat, and Eri's car's broken again so I can't call her for a lift!_ Closely packed buildings crowded in on either side of the young woman in an intimidating honour guard, their upper stories lost above the dim street lights. Shivering, she attempted to increase her stride without drawing unnecessary attention to herself by actually running. Her paltry student budget also meant that instead of staying on the Komaba campus, she was living in one of the less salubrious parts of Tokyo on the edge of the Ueno district. _I hope all the nice gang members are home watching television and not out looking for targets!_

Kagome heard what sounded like a moan close at hand and looked around quickly, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She hesitated for an instant, before ducking into a fence-flanked alleyway to her left. It was even darker in here and more frightening, but it also meant she would be home in two minutes rather than seven.

_Nearly home, nearly home, nearly home..._

The groan sounded again, agonised and _much_ closer. The young woman jumped, and began to run but her foot caught on a shadow and she fell forward, catching herself on her palms and scraping them badly on the rough concrete. Gravity wrenched her backpack painfully from her shoulder. The thump and subsequently clatter of the contents spilling out into the alley was agonisingly loud. Muttering under her breath at the blood on her palms, Kagome groped in the blackness for her possessions. It took a minute for the girl's eyes to fully adjust to the alleyway's gloom. Glancing towards the offending object as she pushed a textbook into her bag, the darkness slowly morphed to a long, low soft-looking pile of _something_, and a long spill of stained silver-white on the ground next to it. A pale, slender appendage extended resolving into… fingers.

_It's a corpse!_ Shock caused the girl to draw in a breath for a scream, but her common sense kicked in just in time to stop her from drawing attention to herself here, in this place. As she scrambled upright and began backing away, the fingers twitched.

_It's… they're not dead…?_

New but well-honed medical instincts came to the fore. Crouching, she reached forward with shaking fingers to touch the hand and discovered it to be cool. _He or she's been here for a while_. Fumbling in the dark, the young woman traced up the arm connected to that pale hand to what was definitely a shoulder. She groped for a pulse under the victim's jaw and was rewarded by an erratic flicker against her fingertips. _Definitely alive. _Taking a deep breath, the young woman quelled her panic in favour of the unconscious victim._ Calm down, Higurashi. Check for injuries! _

Kagome reached back into her bag, feeling around for the small, powerful torch she always carried. _Is the lens cracked?_ The medical student sighed in relief as the light turned on despite the damage from the fall. Shuffling towards one end of the body, the young woman gripped the torch in her left hand, touching the figure with her right.

_Bare feet, no damage. No broken bones on the ankles. Red trousers. No damage to the shins on either legs. Knees intact. No damage to the thighs. _Kagome crawled forwards on hands and knees towards the top end of the person and her knees skidded on wetness. _Blood and lots of it; that's not good. Definitely male, judging by the chest. There's blood all over the red jacket; feels like there's several broken ribs. Ahh… more damage underneath there too. Silver hair. No damage to the neck or jawbone. Facial structure seems intact. No obvious damage to his skull. Fur-covered animal ears, undamaged. _

_Animal__ ears?_

_He must be a member of one of the... oh, no! _Kagome gaped, and then scrabbled backwards in recognition. _This is really, really __bad!_

Self preservation warred with compassion. The medical student stared sightlessly at the five long, vertical marks gouged into the wall just above the man's head.

_OK, keep calm, Kagome! I need to check which one…_ Kagome gulped, and shuffled within range again. _Ayumi said that in all the documented cases, there was a tattoo, often on the wrist. Left wrist or right? _The young woman shone the beam onto the man's arms, cautiously pulling back the heavy sleeves to reveal unmarked skin up to the elbows.

_Definitely can't call an ambulance, or the police, even if I had any credit on my mobile. It's a huge risk to move him in case he has a spinal cord injury... but I can't just leave him here. If his attackers come back to finish the job, or the police find him... it wouldn't be good for his survival either way. _

Something creaked on a roof nearby. Her heart in her mouth, the young woman instantly killed the torch. Looking up towards the silhouette of the sky, something moved, before disappearing. In the far distance, she could see tiny police helicopters.

_He's going to die if I leave him..._

Making up her mind, she ignored the voice of reason. The young woman first secured her backpack with both straps. Next, shuffling forwards on her knees, she took hold of the victim's limp arm, drew it over her shoulders, and heaved mightily.

He was extremely heavy and she staggered while trying desperately to stabilize their balance. The man whimpered slightly, but some of the load lifted as he took a little of his weight on his own feet. Her hands slipping on wet fabric, yanking and sliding, Kagome managed to manhandle the man down the alleyway, around the corner and to the entry of her building, the red brickwork stained from years of smoke and dirt. Opening the door, the girl shoved the injured man into the foyer and left him propped against the wall as she locked the metal grate and heavy door behind them. Her heart sank as she considered the four flights of stairs to her room.

As she turned towards him, the dim lighting gave her the first proper look at her companion.

_Oh!_ Under the bruising and dirt, his face was strikingly beautiful with a fine bone structure, but his red clothing was soaked in blood and he needed medical attention _now._ The white shirt underneath the gaping jacket was acquiring the same blood red hue. Those odd ears drooped forwards pathetically. _I've brought him this far… can't dump him now._

"Come on, just a little further…" Kagome muttered to the slumping stranger as she again hauled him upright. Scaling the flights seemed to take forever, and he became heavier and heavier until she was whimpering almost as much as he was.

Eventually, she gratefully reached her door. Unlocking it, she pulled him through and dragged him towards the bed, barely managing to direct his collapse into a possibly-comfortable position. Shaking, Kagome stepped back and leant against the wall as the situation slowly began to sink in. She was alone, in her tiny one-room bedsit, with a man of dubious reputation who was most likely gang related bleeding all over her bed.

_What do I do now?_

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What Kagome ended up doing was exactly what she was trained to do; help the injured. It took her just over an hour, all told. The first ten minutes were needed to ease him out of his strange, almost medieval clothes. It would have been quicker to just cut them off, but to the young woman's shock her sharpest scissors simply broke against the heavy cloth. _What on earth is this stuff made out of?_ She dropped the garments in a bloody pile on the threadbare carpet to deal with later in favour of spending another five minutes reassessing the fairly extensive damage to his body. _Well, that explains all the blood._ The main problem was his left side; the ruined mass looked as though he'd been slashed and bludgeoned repeatedly by someone who took a sadistic joy in inflicting pain. His ribs were partly flayed, and the skin that was still connected was mottled black with bruises. Through one of the deeper gashes in his shoulder, she could see what looked ominously like a piece of metal wedged deep into his flesh.

Kagome sat back on her heels. _That piece of metal has to come out __now__ in case of infection, and I have to stop him from losing more blood._ She went into the kitchenette and retrieved her first aid kit out from under the sink. Checking through the various supplies collected from generous supervisors, she realized with a sinking sensation that she didn't have a scalpel. _I need something sharp… hmmm, that might work._ Reaching into the drawer, she pulled out the kitchen knife that had been her mother's going-away gift. The young woman flicked on the gas hob, and after a moment's hesitation on the insanity of the whole plan, held the blade in the flame to sterilise it. After a minute she turned off the heat, and gathering her courage, moved back towards her guest with the first aid kit in her other hand.

_Whose brilliant idea was this, anyway? _Arranging her supplies on the bed, she checked her unexpected patient's condition. The man was sweating heavily, his skin clammy, but was mercifully unconscious. Kagome gently slipped an absorbent pad under his shoulder and wadded some gauze, then laid out the sutures within easy reach. Gritting her teeth, she touched the tip of the knife to the wound, then in a quick movement, pushed the blade firmly into the tortured flesh and twisted it, flicking the piece of metal free. He yelped in pain, his head turning towards her and his eyes snapping open. They were disguised like the rest of him, an unnatural bright gold; however, she was distracted from contemplating their cat's-slit pupils when he grabbed hold of her wrist with a surprisingly strong grip… and the claws tipping his fingers dug into her skin.

"It's OK, just hang on," she said soothingly, nervously eyeing the claws whilst dropping the bloody knife and applying heavy pressure to the wound with her free hand.

"_Kikyo_?"

"No, I'm Kagome," she answered, frowning as the wound continued to bleed. "This would be easier if I could use both hands." He let go of her wrist and she added more gauze as the first wad became saturated. "Can I call an ambulance?"

"No. No hospital. No police." Shuddering violently, he dropped into unconsciousness again.

Kagome pulled a face as she pressed on the wound with as much strength as she dared_. I'd guessed as much._

It took another ten minutes to staunch the bleeding, and another ten to carefully stitch the multiple sides of the wound. The there was another twenty minutes to clean with antiseptic most of the other cuts and slashes, and a final fifteen minutes to stitch up four of the more severe wounds.

She was just congratulating herself on a thorough job when she remembered something. _Oh, no… the hallway! I have to do something about __that__!_ Scooping the impromptu scalpel and springing across the room, she put the knife in the sink and rapidly dug out a bucket, a sponge and some cleaning solution. Filling the bucket, she hastily charged outside to set about cleaning the stairs and the foyer of the bloody smears that liberally decorated the floors and the walls… and conveniently led straight to her door for the ease of any pursuers or the authorities. It took about half an hour, and as she worked, she grudgingly admitted to herself that she was not only avoiding making any further decisions about the man upstairs, but was also clearing up evidence. _I can't call the police or an ambulance now because I'm an accomplice._

Afterwards, Kagome went to the tiny cupboard in her room masquerading as a bathroom and showered off. Donning a disreputable old tee shirt, the young woman crept cautiously out of the bathroom over to her bed to evaluate her patient. The man's face was twisted in pain and anger even in sleep, his skin flushed. As she watched, he snarled softly, giving her an alarming view of a pair of extremely sharp looking fangs. _Claws and fangs? Maybe I __should__ call the police after all. _

He twisted on the bed, and the snarl changed instantly to an agonised whimper as his wounds pulled. Kagome sighed as her conscience pushed away any thought but that of helping and moved to clean up the mess on her floor. The bloodied piece of shrapnel glinted among the bedclothes; she picked it up and turned it over in her hands. It was oddly shaped; triangular with a sharp point that had obviously sheared off something larger and more deadly. She shuddered, and collected up the rest of the wrappers from her treatment, then dropped the whole mess in the bin. Her clothes were besmirched to the point she had to leave them soaking in the bucket; his clothing was already stiffening from the gore that saturated it, and the garments were quickly consigned to the sink. _At least he has his underwear, although I'll have to find him something else in the morning because it needs a wash, too._

An unexpected yawn took her completely off-guard; stifling it against the back of her hand, she acknowledged the stress of the last few hours. Fishing her one spare sheet out of the cupboard, she draped it over her sleeping patient. Nervously considering her undeniably masculine guest, she had to admit that she had no other options in the tiny bedsit. _Mind you, with those injuries, he's unlikely to have ravishment on his mind… if he can even walk. And there definitely no spider tattoos __anywhere__._ Curling up under her spare blanket on the small two person sofa, she promptly fell asleep.

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It was bright morning, the sky a dazzling blue on the Shirokane campus. Beckoned by the riot of colour, Kagome paused to appreciate the new spring daffodils, set off by the more sedate pond reeds in front of the Medical Institute's First Building as she waited.

"Hey Higurashi! Nice flowers!" Kagome glanced up to smile at the rather attractive man beaming at her.

"Good morning, Hojo!"

"So, how did the surgery go last night?"

"It was… educational. The patient went into cardiac failure, so it was a bit of battle rather than the routine procedure that they expected, but he survived."

"Could you tell me about it over coffee after class… maybe?"

"Usually I would, but I can't come to class today I'm afraid. A… um… friend of the family dropped in unexpectedly last night."

"How come you're here, then?" Hojo asked curiously. "Biochemistry starts in five minutes."

"He…er… got a case of food poisoning and his clothes didn't make it through unscathed. He needs to get home for an afternoon shift at work, but I need to borrow some clothes for him because there's not enough time to get it all washed and dried in the laundrette. And I wondered… well, do you have anything I could borrow as you're a similar size? I'll get it back in a few days…"

As Hojo stared at her in surprise, Kagome couldn't help fidgeting. _Oh… poot. I'm such a lousy liar._

"Do you want me to come and check on him for you as a second opinion?" the man asked, concerned. "I mean, you could have just phoned and I could have dropped off something earlier."

"No, no, it's fine. I'm nervous about second opinions ever since Grandpa diagnosed my flu as Beri-Beri," Kagome pulled a face as he laughed, "but I didn't phone as I had no credit."

"So if you don't have money for the phone… let me guess, you walked home last night too?" He grimaced when she nodded. Easing his bag off his shoulder, Hojo said, "Well, Higurashi, it's your lucky day… I have track practice today." With the air of a stage performer, he pulled a tracksuit out of his bag and dropped it into her arms. "How about this?"

"That would be brilliant, but… isn't that your varsity kit? And don't you need it?"

"I can borrow kit from the coach as he always keeps spares, but you only get it on one condition."

"What's that?"

The young man smiled and flipped a refill card from his wallet. "You take these phone credits, and you _promise_ me that next time you need help, you'll call someone. You know Yuka worries worse than your mother does considering where you live. I don't dare tell her you walked home."

"It's only because she's sensible. Anyway, I promise," she murmured, warmed by his attention. "And one last favour…"

"Anything, you know that."

"Can I borrow your biochem notes for whatever I miss?"

"Sure. Take care, Higurashi. See you tomorrow!"

"I hope so!" Kagome was already running back down the path to the Shirokanedai exit, waving as she went.

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Sitting curled up on the shabby couch in her equally dilapidated bedsit, her arms wrapped around her bent legs, Kagome rested her chin on her knees and watched the slow breathing of the man lying on her bed. Upon returning home, the young woman had changed his dressings and sponged down the lean planes of his body, amazed to find that his wounds were healing more rapidly than conventional medicine dictated. He was still badly hurt, but much of the bruising had already disappeared, and the skin was reknitting at an abnormally fast rate. Even the cracked ribs seemed sturdier when she gently pressed them.

Feeling a little unsettled, she idly picked at a loose thread on the worn cushion. _I'd kinda hoped that he would wake up and leave, but no chance of that, not with those injuries, even if they are healing freakishly quickly._ Rubbing her hand over her face, she admitted to selfishly wanting the entire incident to be over. _Things have suddenly become way too complicated… if I were sensible, I should just call the police and be done with it. Ayumi showed me some of the related cases in her criminal law paper last term, and even the __memory__ of them gives me the heebie jeebies. _

The authorities were as determined to capture this man and his associates as they were the other gangs, and would be ecstatic to get him alive and incapacitated. _Their reputation regarding dangerous prisoners isn't exactly clean… but if my suspicions are right, I'm in a lot more personal danger than I bargained for._ _I'll have every gang lord in Tokyo lining up to carve him – and stupidly helpful me - into pieces. _Sighing as she shifted in her seat, she acknowledged the other part of her that demanded she take care of him, because in her heart she believed her guest was one of the good guys. That part urged her to watch over him, to protect him from danger. As if he knew he was the subject of her scrutiny, one white furry ear flickered rapidly before softly drooping. _I'm itching to remove those ears and take out the contacts to see who he really is, but that would be __insane__ if I ever hope to escape this mess. _

In the end, the young woman took the middle ground and did nothing. She laid out her notes and her textbooks, and did her homework instead.

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It had been nearly twenty-four hours since she'd found him when he finally woke up. Kagome looked up from her place on the threadbare rug when she heard him groan. Scrambling to her feet, she quickly filled a glass of water and moved towards the bed with a dose of painkillers. Setting them down on the box that served as a bedside table, she observed that his eyes were open and watching her with a frightening intensity, that unnatural gold colour glinting against his pale skin.

"Good evening." She gave him a crooked smile, hoping to get some reaction. His eyes narrowed and he glanced around. Kagome foolishly reached to check his temperature, but his hand whipped up and caught her wrist, his teeth bared in a snarl. "S-sorry!" she stammered, trying to wriggle her arm loose. Wordlessly, he let her go. "Look, I know you're one of the Youkai Pack… right?" He had initially tensed, but then relaxed slightly at her comment and nodded, but remained silent. "I found you in the alley last night and you've been here ever since. I patched you up, as I didn't think you'd want to be taken to the police."

"Why didn't you?" He spoke for the first time, his voice rough from his long sleep.

Kagome chewed her lip before finally answering. "Because regardless of what the police say, we need you to stop the Spider. No-one else can." He examined her face until she blushed and ducked her head, gesturing to the water. "That's for you, as are the painkillers. Normally I'd advise against eating for several days with the injuries you sustained, but… well… you seem to heal remarkably quickly, so if you're hungry I have some instant ramen in the cupboards. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

He nodded once and watched as she moved to the tiny kitchenette and set the water to boiling. She watched him cautiously out of the corner of her eye, jumping skittishly when he threw back the covers and swung his feet onto the floor. Kagome stared keenly at the almost completely-healed wounds, then blushed scarlet and looked away. _He'll think I'm a pervert if I keep ogling him!_

"_Fuck,_ that hurts. Clothes?" he rasped.

"Your red outfit was soaked with blood, so I washed it out as best I could," she said, pointing at the chair currently doubling as a drying rack. "It isn't really wearable right now, so I borrowed a tracksuit that might fit you. There's a towel and the bathroom is the door facing you, and just leave your underwear in there; I'll wash it with the sheets."

Carefully easing himself upright, he wrapped the towel around his narrow waist and moved gingerly to the bathroom. By the time he emerged, dressed in Hojo's team colours, there was a bowl of noodles waiting on the table. She gestured to the chair, and he sat down, pulling the food towards him. _He's still wearing the contacts and the animal ears, and his hair is both wet and still white, so the colour obviously doesn't wash out. I hope Hojo's clothes don't get damaged; I'll feel awful if I can't give them back!_

Eating quickly without speaking, he emptied the bowl and pushed it away, then began intently studying her, with an expression that verged on disbelief. Kagome's appetite deserted her from the scrutiny, so she pushed her noodles towards him. He shrugged, and ate them as well.

"You can stay here for a few days if you want; you're not in a fit state to go anywhere." He tilted his head on the side, his strangely-coloured eyes never leaving her face as she nervously continued, "I'll take your stitches out for you in a week or so as well, and I promise I won't tell anyone you were here." Unable to cope with his intense golden stare any further, she retrieved her only remaining clean bottom sheet and pillowcase and changed the bed, taking the bloodied linens over to soak in the sink with his underwear. She then sat back down on the floor next to her notes; after a few minutes of his gaze boring into the top of her head, she suggested, "You should get some more sleep. It'll heal you better than anything else. And take out your contacts."

He shrugged, instead moving across to the couch and flipped on the tiny television in the corner. The flickering screen resolved into a news anchor.

"… Police sources confirm that last night there was another clash between members of the masked vigilante group known as the Youkai Pack, and the members of the notorious Spider Gang in the Taitō Ward near Ueno Park. Witnesses report a bloody pitched battle between multiple combatants, and the bodies of at least two civilians have been found, presumably caught in the cross fire. Police are appealing for any further information on either group…"

Kagome bit her lip and didn't look up. She heard him growl under his breath and change the channel.

"… And in the latest society news, the two billionaire heirs to the Taisho fortune were seen out in the Roppongi district with no less than the whole of _GirlFriday_. According to our sources, all five pop princesses were invited back to a private party at the mansion, and didn't emerge for the entire weekend. We can't help but wonder what their agents think of that!"

_Click._

"… The death toll continues to rise in the latest gangland statistics. The mayor has pledged to support the police and will sanction an increase in the force's numbers. Imposition of martial law has been mentioned…"

_Click._

"… Another museum has been hit in the latest string of antique thefts. This time, the theft was a collection of jewellery dating back over 500 years from the Sengoku era…"

She made an effort to tune out the television and buried herself in her textbook. _Urg. I'll never get this lymph system diagram right if I don't concentrate! Although, I can't help but wonder how he healed so fast…_ Finally after an hour or so, her 'guest' yawned, and carefully made his way back to the bed. An hour or so after that, she cautiously checked his condition, and finding him deeply asleep, tucked him under the covers. As she pushed his hair away from his face, she was startled when he turned his cheek into her hand. Flushing scarlet over the unexpectedly intimate contact, she scooted back to her place on the floor and determinedly tackled her physiology text.

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It was just after midnight when Kagome finally padded over to the cramped sofa for the second night in a row. Uncomfortably curling up into a ball, she sleepily pondered the room's other occupant, and his remarkable healing abilities.

_It's almost inhuman. Then again, he has claws, fangs, and he growls, not to mention I still can't work out how those animal-like ears operate or how he's hidden his normal ones. Maybe he really __is__ a youkai. _

The medical student gave a drowsy laugh at that ridiculous thought, and pulled the blanket tighter until she fell asleep.

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In the middle of the night, Kagome awakened slightly to the sensation of movement. As she murmured a disjointed protest, something rumbled next to her ear just before she was deposited onto a warm, soft surface. Stretching out contentedly, she sighed happily as warmth wrapped around her before dropping back into a deeper sleep.

As unconsciousness swallowed her, something warm and soft brushed past her cheek.

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He was gone the next morning.

She was surprised to find herself on the bed rather than on the sofa; once over that disconcerting discovery, she lay back and stared sightlessly at the cracks in the ceiling, torn between relief and a slightly more indefinable emotion. When she rolled off the mattress ten minutes later, there was very little to indicate he had ever been there; her bowls had been washed up and there was no sign of him or his clothing. The thin curtains on the solitary window fluttered in the breeze; she discovered that the pane was slightly open and briefly wondered if he had exited through it, then dismissed the idea. _Just because he had cat-like ears doesn't mean he can jump like one. _

Another realisation brought her up short as she closed the window._ I never even asked his name. _

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


	2. Tentative Relations

**Disclaimer:** The characters of InuYasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

**Acknowledgements:** As always, thanks to Fenikkusuken, who not only manages to correct all my bad habits, especially those of splitting my infinitives and a excessive propensity for using third person pronouns, but makes me laugh when doing so.

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The afternoon after her anonymous vigilante/guest had departed, Kagome pushed open the door of her bedsit, in the company of a smiling, dark-haired young woman wearing huge chunky silver earrings. Her merrily chattering companion was loaded down with a large backpack and punctuating her words by waving around a bright pink folder.

"…So there was Ayumi, calmly explaining to the restaurant owner exactly what _could_ happen should it become known that they were putting meat in the vegan salad, whilst the vegan in question was busy trying to free the lobsters in the kitchen!"

Kagome laughed at the latest in the long line of their friend's dating escapades. "This was the fellow she met when he was protesting at the Law Society's open debate on 'Why suspension of law can be legal in times of need', wasn't it?"

"Yes, so maybe the championing of crustacean liberty isn't that unexpected," the other young woman commented cheerfully. "I feel sorry for him though; he's called her three times since then and she's ignored him. Plus, she's _still_ not forgiven Eri for putting her up to it."

Kagome shook her head, grinning, as she stashed her books onto the small table. "Yuka? Do you want a drink?"

"Please. Tea, if you have any?"

"Tea I can manage," Kagome answered cheerfully. The young woman turned towards her cooktop… and stopped dead.

"Kagome?" Yuka asked, concerned at her friend's suddenly-pale face. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine… I just remembered I haven't given back Hojo's tracksuit," the girl said slowly, staring at the pile of clean clothes stacked neatly on the sofa that _definitely_ hadn't been there when she left that morning.

_He's been here. _

"I'm sure Hojo doesn't mind," Yuka said reassuringly, then asked, "Which reminds me, how was your friend in the end after his food poisoning? Was he OK?"

"Better than expected. He was up and about much sooner than I thought he would be," Kagome answered, distracted. _I locked the door. I know I did, and I had to unlock it when I came in. _

The curtains on the open window flapped slightly in a gust of cold wind. Shivering, she moved to close the pane, first peering over the sill to consider the long drop from the fourth floor into the alleyway. Cat-like ears came to mind, before the young woman firmly pushed the image away. _Come on, Kagome. You'll be believing Grandpa's stories and looking for Kitsunes next! _As she closed the window, something red flickered on the top of an adjoining building, but was gone before she could focus on it.

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For the next few days, Kagome found herself jumping at shadows. Every rattle of the window pane, every shout in the street below had the young woman looking around apprehensively for trouble. Still, as nothing further happened, her nerves faded and normality reasserted itself.

The rest of the week was spent in lectures and in the library. The middle of the spring term was rife with graded papers, and Kagome winced under their weight. Hojo was as good as his word and lent her his notes from Tuesday's missed lectures, asking only for her company for that after-class coffee on the Friday that she had previously refused. The young woman smiled fondly at the young man's thoughtfulness while rolling her eyes Eri's encouraging thumbs up and incorrigible grin.

Kagome didn't speak of her encounter to anyone. After all, who would _really_ believe her?

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was late on the Saturday evening when Kagome heard it: the quiet sound of her window sash being drawn upwards as she prepared her dinner. She squeaked in alarm and grabbed a frying pan off the counter before flattening herself against the wall, poised to clobber the would-be burglar. As a head emerged through the thin curtains, the frightened young woman brought down the pan with all her strength. It stopped, caught in a clawed fist.

"You!" her mouth fell open, too surprised to let go of the frying pan as she took in the white hair and the flickering animal ears.

"Is that any way to treat a patient, wench?" he asked, unreasonably amused.

"Err… no. Sorry." When he released the pan, she hesitantly lowered her makeshift weapon and stepped back, in effect inviting him in. "What can I do for you?"

He swung inside, and seemed to hesitate as he considered the offer, his eyes cautiously flicking over her slightly nervous but open expression. For an instant the gold eyes softened. "You know, you're the first person in a really long time who has asked me if I want something that _didn't_ want something in return." She tilted her head, curious, and he cleared his throat. "You promised to take my stitches out. It's 'a week or so' now."

Kagome relaxed as she realised that his reason for the return visit was less sinister than his arrival method. "I did promise. Please, sit down. And, um, sorry again about the frying pan. People don't usually come through windows with innocent intentions."

As the young woman bustled around, returning the frying pan to the counter and collecting an assortment of scissors, tweezers and antiseptic, he sat down on the edge of the sofa and removed his medieval-style jacket, now repaired and properly cleaned.

Kagome flushed as her patient slid off his white shirt and the clean lines of his muscles made her think inappropriate things for a few moments before she scolded herself. She could have sworn he smirked a little at her reaction, but by the time she crossed the room, his expression was perfectly bland.

Kneeling on the sofa beside him, the young woman's mouth fell open in shock "You… you're almost healed!" He gave her a guarded look and shrugged. Kagome gently ran her fingers over healthy-looking tissue. _They're __much__ better than I expected; with that shoulder wound alone, he should've be laid up for weeks… and yet here he is, five days later, clambering in my fourth floor window. _Unconsciously, she continued to run her fingertips over his skin. _He really __did__ come through the window to return the clothes!_ The half-naked vigilante shivered under her touch, and the young woman flushed. _Oh no, now he really __is__ going to think I'm a pervert! _Kagome yanked her hands away, her cheeks red as she squirmed with embarrassment. However, when he made no comment, she picked up the scissors and the tweezers and carefully began removing the stitches.

"So, a medical student?" he asked casually.

"Yes. Luckily for you."

He rolled his eyes and she smiled at his attitude before moving onto another suture line. "Do you have a name, Mr Masked Avenger?"

"Inuyasha."

Kagome considered that piece of information for a moment, her eyes lingering on his 'ears', before going back to the stitches. "Dog Demon, huh? I suppose that fits. Are the others in the Youkai Pack named after animal spirits as well? Like, Ookamiyasha and Kazeyasha?"

He snorted with laughter. "No. They have different names, like Sesshomaru."

"'The Killing Perfection'? You definitely got the raw end of the deal. You should ask for a new superhero name."

"It was more of a nickname, but it stuck." There was an edge to his voice, and she bit her lip to stop herself asking anything further.

They were quiet for a few more minutes as she removed all of her handiwork, running her fingertips over his arms, chest and back to make sure that she hadn't missed any. Kagome was unaccountably disappointed when she realised she'd run out of excuses to touch him. "You're done," her voice was suddenly husky, and the young woman self-consciously cleared her throat.

Inuyasha turned his head. Kagome was still kneeling right beside him, and suddenly, their faces were very, very close, those intense golden eyes staring into her own. Instantly self-conscious, the young woman bit her lip; the answering flash in his gaze had her flushing scarlet and scrambling off the couch. Slowly dressing in his heavy, colourful clothing, Inuyasha watched her with a strangely pensive expression.

"Um… so… err…" Kagome floundered on what to say to the strange, costumed man seated on her scruffy sofa before inspiration struck. "Do you want something to eat before you go?"

"What're you offering?"

"Well, today's exciting choice is ramen… again. But you can have either chicken or beef this time." Giving him an apologetic shrug, she noted the considering way he looked around the tiny dilapidated flat. "You don't get a lot of money as a med student, but it's still better than being on the street…. I mean, I don't know where you live, but with what you do, I mean, it's not like you get paid, and… um… never mind."

He looked slightly blank before her words sank in, and then he appeared rather amused. "Beef ramen's good."

The young woman felt his eyes burning into her back as she skittered around the kitchenette making noodles for two. As she extended one of the steaming bowls towards him, he brushed his fingers against hers as he accepted it.

Swallowing a mouthful, her guest asked, "So let me get this straight… you pick up a strange man that you find injured in the street, take him home, patch him up, tuck him into your bed, and offer him dinner… but you don't even know his name, and suspect he might be a homeless psychopathic member of the underworld?"

"I don't think you're a psychopath, but essentially yes." She tilted her head on the side, considering. "Wow, it _does_ sound a bit stupid when you say it like that."

Inuyasha snorted in amusement. "I think you have a death wish, wench."

She narrowed her eyes. "It's _Kagome_. Ka-go-me."

"_Wench_ suits you better."

"_Idiot_ suits you better," Kagome smiled serenely, "And don't spit out your noodles over my couch."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was a fortnight before she saw him again; she was dozing lightly when a soft noise alerted her to the fact she wasn't alone. Sitting up with a muffled shriek, her heart instantly thumping against her ribs, she peered through the darkness until she identified the white mane flowing down the back of her visitor in the dim light from the window.

"Inuyasha?" She swung her long legs out of bed and stood up, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. The night breeze from the open window made her shiver after leaving her warm bedding, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Is this how you greet all your uninvited visitors, you idiot? Half naked?" Inuyasha demanded, his voice low, almost furious.

Kagome flushed red. "Don't call me an idiot, you idiot! I was sleeping!" she shot back as she tugged the drooping neckline of the thin, oversized tee-shirt back onto her shoulder.

"I could have been _anyone, _wench. Anyone could have seen you like this."

"It's dark and no-one else comes in through the window," she pointed out in a determinedly reasonable tone. "I still haven't worked out _how_ you do that, considering I'm four floors up with no fire escape."

"You mean you only dress like this for me?" The anger dissolved and he smirked, fangs flashing in the dim light.

Struck by a sudden concern, she took a half-step towards him, her hand outstretched. "Are you hurt? Do you need something?"

"Maybe I just like being around you," he suggested.

She laughed a trifle nervously at that. "Of _course_ you do… I'll bet you say that to _all_ the girls you drop in on in the middle of the night."

His demeanour instantly sobered. "Okay, I admit it… I do need something. I need a shower, and _don't_ turn on the light. You don't want to see…"

"There are towels in the chest, third drawer down."

He nodded. As he passed her in the semi darkness she could see the ichors glistening on his skin and his claws, and close up she smelt the stink that accompanied intestinal surgery. _Or shredded intestines_ her mind added helpfully. Her stomach lurched, and she coughed. She didn't see his mouth twist just before he softly commanded, "Go back to sleep, wench." Kagome was only too happy to obey, tucking herself back into her bedding and drifting off to the sound of running water.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome wondered if there was something vaguely unhealthy in her rapidly developing interest in the Youkai Pack and to a lesser extent, the Spider. Over the next few weeks as February rolled into March, she began paying careful attention to the news, looking for more information on her mysterious visitor. Ayumi was her legal-beagle font of all knowledge regarding the gangs, but she also struck out on her own to look for more.

In breaks between essays and lab work, she would turn on previously-ignored talk shows and watch interviews with people who claimed to have seen or met the Youkai Pack. Munching on cheap salted popcorn, she focussed with the intensity of an addict as a wailing woman described her rescue or assault. Kagome also became a master at the acquisition of papers left on buses or in the common rooms; papers that didn't have the word 'Medicine' anywhere, but had a lot of society gossip. In the university computer rooms, she surfed internet sites containing photos and news reports. The Pack was adept at avoiding cameras, so all that were seen were blurs and flashes, but the 'Youkai Watchers' (dot com) had formed a list of the core members.

There was the tall one with long white hair who was only ever seen at a distance, but eyewitness reports hinted at a leadership role. Another member was so fast he or she was only ever seen as a blur, but there were hints of fur and metal. There was another member with red hair and the poise of a stage magician, and finally, the white-haired warrior in red that she knew better than the Youkai Watchers could ever hope to.

No-one knew any names, and their identities were all heavily disguised by strange clothing and animal-like features. All seemed able to perform feats impossible for mere mortals, but there were pages and pages on the web devoted to an analysis of the techniques needed, from jump rockets for the amazing leaps to laser powered whips for some of the attacks. Kagome wryly recalled her broken scissors when she read comments claiming that their clothing had 'armour-like properties'. _That's why I couldn't cut his jacket…_ _I hope that I didn't damage it when I washed it! _

The Spider was another matter and his exploits made grim reading. A truly ruthless gang lord, he apparently bore a large version on his back of the spider tattoo sported on the arms of his trusted lieutenants. _I'm __so__ glad that Inuyasha didn't have a marking like that!_ The group had a special interest in historical artefacts, raiding museums and private collections. Like the Youkai Pack, they tended to wear outlandish robes and were noted to have disguised physical features, such as red eyes or albino skin. The Spider's gang members were never taken alive, which meant battles with the police were vicious. The worst part was that many of them seemed to take particular joy in destruction and torture. Kagome carefully limited her reading after a few nightmare-filled nights.

It was not known who came first; the Youkai Pack or the Spider. They seemed to appear around the same time three years before. The police blamed the Youkai Pack for triggering extremism and psychopathic behaviours in the criminal underworld because no-one wore strange costumes before they came on the scene. It was clear that the Youkai Pack were not completely innocent of criminal charges, either. Grainy CCTV camera footage from a warehouse on YouTube showed someone that looked worryingly like Inuyasha ripping through a score of gang members with what appeared to be blades attached to his hands.

Kagome thought about all of it for a long time, wrestling with her conscience as to whether or not she should just contact the police and be done with it. And finally, after failing to reach a conclusion, she listened to her gut feelings instead. She shut down the site listing the Youkai Pack's alleged crimes, and left the window open.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"And so, he agreed that if we manage to pass all the exams… by which I mean, you'll walk them," Hojo winked, "We can work at the hospital over the summer as interns, and that will go onto our grades for next year!"

"That's brilliant! I can't believe you managed to swing that; I really owe you!" Kagome beamed at man currently carrying her study bag as they walked towards her building in the early dusk.

"No problem. You know, we should go out to dinner at some point to celebrate… especially as it's vacation time now so there's less coursework to worry about."

"Mmm… I can't really afford it," she hedged.

"I'll pay; it'll be my treat."

As they arrived in front of her building, Kagome reached forwards to take her bag, distracted by a distinct sense of unease. _I feel like I'm being watched_. Shaking off the nerves, she asked, "Go out to dinner as in 'go out to dinner'… or as in 'Go Out To Dinner'?"

He blushed slightly but gave her an insouciant grin. "The latter." Both of them jumped as a low, almost sub-vocal rumble vibrated the air around them.

The hair on the back of her neck stood upright, and she rubbed her arms to settle the goose-bumps. _This isn't good._ "Um, I think maybe just go out to dinner as _friends_..." Kagome's voice trailed off as she failed to find a good end to the sentence.

Hojo winced slightly but smiled. He reached out and took her hands in his, looking at them instead of her. "It's fine, Higurashi. Just don't mind me if I ask you for a date again at some point; otherwise you'll forget that people appreciate you."

Kagome gave him a watery smile, "That works for me." The young woman squeezed his fingers comfortingly for a second, before gently pulling her hands free. Noticing the deepening sunset, she asked, "Are you going to be OK walking home?"

"I'll be fine; Akago's only a few streets away at his brother's place. I'll grab a lift from him."

Waving as Hojo headed off down the darkening street, the young woman hurried up to her flat. Kagome unlocked her door and stepped into her bedsit, preoccupied with the idea of an internship and guilty for crushing a dear friend's hopes. _Was it the right thing to do? I mean, I don't feel that way about him, so it isn't right to lead him on… _"Oh!"Her only warning was a flash of red in her peripheral vision before she was slammed against the just-closed door hard enough to knock the wind out of her. A hand clamped over Kagome's mouth as a scream rose in her throat, her bag thumping to the floor from nerveless fingers.

Her absent, erstwhile patient loomed above her, snarling softly, long-clawed fingers clamped around her bicep hard enough to leave bruises. He'd changed his contacts and these featured red-rimmed golden irises, which were _extremely_ intimidating. It had been a month since she'd seen him last, and she was suddenly aware of how very much larger he was. _I only come up to his chin… and that __hurts__, darn it! _

As if he could feel the rising waves of terror coming off the young woman, Inuyasha dropped the muffling hand from her mouth to her other arm and buried his face in the side of her neck, inhaling deeply. Kagome felt his body relax almost instantly in the way he pressed more heavily against her, the snarling quieting to a low growl as he calmed down. The young woman relaxed as well despite the apparent threat, even if the way his breath feathered over her skin was highly distracting. _This is a bit weird but okay... _or at least it was, until Inuyasha shifted slightly. The friction of his chest against hers caused her nipples to peak, and she was suddenly aware of how his entire body seemed to radiate heat everywhere they touched. Pinned against him, her nose pressed into his clothing, Kagome found his wild scent strangely intoxicating. As she bit her lip to stop an inappropriate whimper, he deliberately moved again, intensifying the sensations shooting through her body, his hands sliding down her arms to her hips. When he ground an obvious erection against her belly, she jerked out of her haze. _This has officially moved to Not Okay._

"Um… Inuyasha?" She gulped as he pulled back to regard her with a smouldering gaze that quickly dropped to her mouth. "Inuyasha, please let go."

"Why?" he purred, the single word rumbling through his chest into hers, and hardening her nipples even more.

"Because I've only met you three times, I don't really know you, and this is _really_ freaking me out."

Inuyasha stared at her lips, wearing a lazy, sensual expression that made her almost regret her decision. _Almost._ "_Please._"

Something that resembled regret flickered over his features and the white-haired man quickly obeyed. Taking several steps back, Inuyasha dropped down cross-legged on the floor and folded his hands into his sleeves. Kagome took a deep breath to clear the fog of sensuality, and mustered up a glare. "Listen to me, you idiot! I _do_ value what you do and I see you as a friend… sort of. But if you _ever_ do that again without my permission, I swear I will lock the window and call the police."

Inuyasha's mouth twisted, an indefinable pain darkening his expression that abruptly turned to blistering anger. "You're absolutely right; I don't really know _you_, Ka-go-me. Don't worry, I'll go… I should never have come back here. It was a stupid thing to do." Gracefully rising to his feet, he headed for the window.

"Wait!" Kagome's stomach lurched as she realised with absolute certainty that if the vigilante left, he would never come back. "Please don't go… not like this."

"What do you want from me, _Kagome_?" Inuyasha hissed her name almost resentfully.

She looked at her hands. _What do I want? He's a dangerous vigilante, and I don't even know his real name. He's most likely homeless and probably destitute, yet I trust him enough to let him into my room at night… and I worry about him when he isn't around. And this… this sexual thing is confusing the heck out of me. I don't know exactly what he wants from me, but … I definitely know what I want from him right now. _Lifting her head, she looked him in the eye. "I want to be your friend, Inuyasha."

Surprise made his eyebrows disappear under the hair framing his face, and then they lowered in suspicion. "Are you sure? I mean, I ain't exactly _normal_."

_I feel like I've missed something. _Shrugging off the niggling voice, she replied, "Yes."

"And you don't mind that I'll always be like this to you?" He gestured to his hair and clothing.

"If that's what you want, I'll respect that. Friends accept each other as they are," she replied earnestly. _Why do I feel like I'm answering a different question?_

"And what do _you_ want out of it?"

"Your company. To know you're safe." She paused and added, "Your respect."

For a long moment the vigilante assessed the girl in front of him, his red-rimmed golden eyes boring into her. Kagome nearly quailed under the combination of strength and ruthlessness, but was caught by the wary vulnerability that was also apparent. Finally, he held out his clawed hand. "Deal."

Without hesitation, she shook hands, then asked. "What do _you_ want out of it, Inuyasha?"

He looked at her with a thoughtful expression. "Nothing you're not prepared to give, Kagome."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

As March turned into April and rolled towards the eagerly anticipated Golden Week vacation, Kagome found herself in one of the strangest friendships she'd ever experienced.

Inuyasha came back once that week, once the next, and twice the week after that. He never stayed overly long; usually to either borrow the shower or grab food and chat for a bit, and on one memorable occasion, he agreed to play cards, teaching the young woman the more traditional game of Hanafuda. When he was there, he made a point of staying just on edge of her personal space, but she never felt crowded… although her skin tingled whenever he was near. Inuyasha also had a habit of prowling around her flat, rearranging objects, reordering things and handling her possessions, to the point he seemed to leave physical manifestations of his presence when he wasn't around. When the young woman joked at one point that he was marking territory, Kagome was surprised when the vigilante flushed, and put down the cushion he'd been fiddling with.

Conversations were relatively careful, but she learnt he had an older brother, the infamously named Sesshomaru, and that the rest of his family were dead. She found out that the Spider's name was Naraku, and that he was an old enemy. Inuyasha explained that the Youkai Pack had banded together because of Naraku's appearance, and Sesshomaru had determined that Naraku was choosing targets based on the contents of museum collections.

Shifting uncomfortably on the threadbare carpet, Kagome had asked, "Based on museum collections? Why?"

Inuyasha shrugged, although his expression became slightly guarded. "He's looking for something. Then again, we don't know why he picked Toyko; it breaks the pattern because he's been here before."

He told her his favourite food was ramen in deference to her sparsely stacked cupboards, and she laughed. On the fourth visit when she felt a little reckless, she asked Inuyasha what his natural hair and eye colour were, and how his ears were wired. He stared intently and asked if she _really_ wanted to know. After some thought, the young woman shook her head, noting wistfully, "I would like to know more about you, but I know it's not a good idea."

For his part, the vigilante was intensely curious about her, taking interest in the smallest details of her life, from her favourite flavours of ice cream to her oldest memory. When the young woman had blushed, protesting that her life was deeply boring, he cut across her objections with earnest assurances. "You're _far_ from boring, Kagome; I want to know more about _you_."

So, Kagome cheerfully told him that her family originally had been shrine keepers in Tokyo (he hadn't seemed surprised, strangely), but that they had moved to Okinawa for a few years due to her grandfather's health, leaving her second cousin in charge in the interim.

"How's he now?" Inuyasha had asked through a mouthful of ramen.

"Errr… He's just fine. Great!" Kagome had replied after a moment's hesitation, her bright smile brittle. He'd given her a sceptical look, and the young woman had flushed and changed the subject. Kagome had told him that she wanted to be a doctor, and that her life revolved around studying which meant that she didn't go out much. She also told him about her courses at the university, described some of her friends, and even mentioned her old hobby of archery.

He'd rubbed his chest before muttering, "Archery? You gotta swear not to point any arrows at _me_, wench." Somewhat surprised, Kagome had promised.

Inuyasha also asked about the small scars that no-one else noticed, from the small dent on the underside of her chin ("I went over the handlebars of my bike when I was eight and needed three stitches") to the tiny silver line on the side of her knee ("I caught it on a nail on a fence in the neighbour's garden when I was thirteen"). He listened with flattering closeness when she went off on tangents and talked about her childhood before her father died.

Her visitor offered her small sums for food several times, but she shook her head on the assumption that the vigilante needed it more than she did. However, he kept making pointed comments about the stocks of ramen and little else in her larder, and she finally admitted that things were a little tight. He gave her a pensive look and then he leant forward to tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

She found she was smiling after his visits, and missed him when he didn't come.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It had been several weeks since Inuyasha's last visit, but Kagome was too exhausted to notice. Pushing open the door to her bedsit, she rolled her shoulders as she dropped her back pack onto the floor. _I shouldn't have stayed in the library so long, but there's so much to learn, especially since we've moved onto the parasympathetic nervous system. At least there's more daylight in the evenings now… _"_What_ on earth...?"

Instead of her usual threadbare carpet, there was an unfamiliar, luxurious rug arranged in the middle of the floor, brightening the dull room with its vibrant colours. _It's beautiful! _Unable to stop herself, the young woman kicked off her shoes and carefully stepped onto the wide border of the design, her feet sinking into the soft fibres. Kagome wriggled her toes in sensual pleasure as she carefully inspected the unusual pattern. It was a striking design of a large white dog with glowing red eyes, surrounded by archaic _kanji_ and flanked by floral crests on yellow. Her mouth tilted in a mischievous smile, and she tip-toed around the dog, then knelt and affectionately petted the creature's fluffy head. _It's not quite Inuyasha, but it's not too shabby! Uh-oh… I'm already an accomplice, but I __don't__ want to be caught holding stolen goods!_

Straightening up, she glanced around in the off-chance that her mysterious interior decorator had left a note, only to discover yet another gift. Propped against her pillow was an old book with cracked leather bindings. _Curiouser and curiouser!_ The young woman fetched the volume and sat back down cross-legged on the rug while she inspected it, absentmindedly running her fingers through the dog's fur. It was a book of old Japanese legends, with a silk ribbon marking the story of the Shikon Jewel, the hunt for the legendary treasure against a dark half-demon. The young woman smiled as she read the names of the characters, realising why the Youkai Pack had taken the names and disguises they had. The Inuyasha in the story even had the same rather adorable ears. _I suppose I __did__ ask to know more... _

Somewhat troubling, there was also a reference to a 'Kikyo'. In the story, Kikyo was the original keeper of the Jewel, a Shinto priestess deceived by the dark hanyou into attacking her lover and dying in the process. Something inside Kagome's gut twisted. _Inuyasha called out __her__ name on that first night._ _I wonder if she's another member of the Youkai Pack? It would make sense, I guess, since all their names seem to come from this legend. _The young woman debated whether she should ask her infrequent guest about it the next time, but didn't come to a conclusion. It was ironic that their enemy was even named Naraku; she wondered if the Spider had adopted the name before or after the Youkai Pack had picked their theme.

Glancing at the carpet, Kagome abandoned the book-marked page and flicked through to the section on demons. In the small bestiary, the same image was linked to the Sengoku Jidai-era legends, attributed to the lineage of the Inu-no-Taisho. _The Great Dog General._

She paused, frowning at the page as she thought. _First the inhuman rate of healing, then the ears, now __this__…_ Careful as a tightrope walker, and against her better judgement, Kagome followed the absurd train of thought to its possibly logical conclusion. _What if, just if, demons had once been real? How long were they supposed to live? Did they ever have descendents? _Deliberately closing the book, she chewed her lip as she considered the ramifications of the rather unusual gifts._ Inuyasha __can't__ be related a youkai… because they don't exist… right? Maybe he chose this rug because the dog-demon is kind of an in-joke between us about his superhero name_? _But then… I'm not sure how to take the information in this book, either. It all sounds so plausible! Argh. He's making me crazy, and he's conveniently not here to answer questions… like, were these legitimately acquired?_

Later, while the kettle steamed and she opened the cupboard to select her nightly ration of dried noodles, she found the once-empty shelves stacked with dozens of packages of ramen.

Torn between laughter and suspicion, Kagome faced the music, or rather, the noodles. _Oh dear… did he knock off a supermarket, too? _

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


	3. Unexpected Visitors

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. I just use them for my own amusement.

**Acknowledgements: **As always, gratitude to the lovely Fenikkusuken for a sterling beta job. And also, thanks to my reviewers: I'm glad you like the story so far!

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

On the first day of classes after the Golden Week vacation, Kagome watched in bemusement as an army of Shirokane campus cleaners menaced the students with a plethora of brooms and dusters. Many examples of the university's prize antique collection, which were usually locked away, had been pulled out of their secure storage and were being polished and displayed to best advantage. Ducking a flying duster, Kagome slipped on the newly waxed floor and narrowly avoided colliding with a plinth topped by a tastefully-lit display case containing what appeared to be Meiji-era hair ornaments. Bowing repeatedly to an irate member of the University cleaning staff, the young woman escaped at speed out of the building and headed towards the picnic area.

Yuka hailed her from across the quadrangle, huge earrings sparkling in the sunlight. On the other side of the table were two other young women, animatedly chatting over a pile of folders and bento boxes. When they heard Yuka, they both turned and waved cheerfully at the somewhat flustered medical student.

"Hi Kagome! Isn't it a beautiful day today?" Yuka chirped. "It almost makes up for classes restarting."

Kagome slid onto the bench next to her, dropping her yellow bag on the paving stones after pulling out her own packed lunch. "Hi guys! What on earth is going on? Did someone put a hygiene scare on the campus or something?"

Three sets of dumbfounded expressions confronted her, before the pretty young woman across the table asked in mock-horror, "How can you not know?" Her reproachful head-shake set her sharp-edged hairstyle dancing.

"Here we go…" the fourth woman said reproachfully, "Now you've set Eri off!"

Yuka hid a giggle behind her hand, and Kagome good-naturedly batted at her arm before asking, "Know what?"

"The Taisho brothers are visiting tomorrow! They've decided to sponsor a program to fund a couple of disadvantaged students and wanted to nose around the University first," Eri exclaimed enthusiastically.

"They're probably cruising for sorority good-time girls," snorted the fourth woman, moving her law books aside and opening her bento.

"You're such a cynic, Ayumi," Eri chided, before she grinned and added, "You're probably right, though."

Kagome was suitably impressed. "Wow. _The_ Taisho brothers? As in, disgustingly rich heirs to billions?" _Hurrah!_ _Rotting my brains by_ _reading too many gossip magazines just paid off!_

"Yep. And _gorgeous_. Just think; one relationship with them and you'd be made for life!" Eri winked.

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "You wouldn't!"

"I _would_. Hell, _any_ woman with any brains would. I bet neither of them has ever been turned down in their lives. They've always got at least three women at any one time."

"Well, I wouldn't 'do' either of them," Kagome declared.

The other three girls exchanged sceptical looks. "That," Eri declared solemnly, "is because you have no sense of self-preservation."

"You know, I've heard that before," she said cheerfully as they all dissolved into giggles.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome was asleep when her mattress dipped on one side. Half-roused, the young woman swatted at the offending weight. "Get off th' bed, Buyo. You're not allowed on here." Her hand hit something solid, and entirely too large.

_Ouch! That's… that's not Buyo…_

Surprise pushed the young woman towards wakefulness and she cracked one eye open. There was a dark figure sitting hunched on the edge of her bed. Clumsily uncoordinated, Kagome let out a small shriek and scrabbled back against the wall as her brain caught up with the situation.

"It's me, Kagome." Inuyasha's voice was low.

The girl relaxed a little in recognition. Glancing at the clock, she was appalled to see the digits reading '3:00 AM'. Rubbing her hands over her face, she mumbled, "What on earth are you doing here?"

Inuyasha sat slumped, his elbows resting on his knees. His ears were flat against his head, almost lost in his hair. In the dim light, his expression was haunted. "I need a friend," he whispered hoarsely.

Worried, Kagome immediately leaned forward. "What happened?"

"Naraku's handiwork. Involved children. We didn't get there in time to stop all of it."

"Oh Gods… I'm _so_ sorry," she gasped, pressing her hand against his back. "What can I do?"

"Can I stay here tonight?" He hesitated for a moment, before adding, "I… look… I just want to be around you right now, 'kay?"

Kagome's heart fluttered slightly at the awkward declaration. "Yes, of course. Give me a minute and I'll get the spare blankets…"

The bed shifted as he stood up. Kagome flopped back down for a moment and rolled over to face the wall as she stretched, half-listening as something flumped on the floor. _I can sleep on the sofa again as he's so much bigger… urg, warming up cold blankets at 3:00am is just rubbish, plain and simple. I wonder if he's hungry as well? If I have to get up, might as well make the effort worthwhile. _She was still drumming up the motivation to leave the warm bed when the covers were pulled back. _"Eep!" _A hard and seemingly naked male body was pressed up against her back, his arms wrapping tightly around her, her bottom pulled snugly into the cradle of his hips. Thrashing with maidenly panic at the unexpectedly compromising situation, despite the distraction of his warm breath on her neck, she yelped, "That wasn't what I meant!"

"Just sleep, Kagome, nothing else… _please,_ I need this." His voice was bone-weary.

The next few minutes were a lesson in stiff discomfort for the young woman as she contemplated escape in grim silence, wondering if she'd completely misjudged her sometime visitor and waiting for him to make an inappropriate move. However, he continued to do nothing but use her as a giant teddy bear, holding her tightly as he buried his face in the juncture between her shoulder and neck. His skin was clammy, and his body was wracked by tiny spasms; each tremor caused his arms to tighten briefly around her as he gulped in air. Kagome's brain helpfully poked her until she catalogued his list of physical reactions into a recognisable pattern. _He's in shock. It must have been __bad__._ Slowly, the young woman calmed as concern overrode her nervous reaction to the unusual situation. Wriggling a little to get properly comfortable, she discovered to her relief that he was wearing underwear, and finally relaxed. _Alright, I can deal with this, but we're really going to have Words in the morning!_

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

There was a long silence, but eventually, Inuyasha murmured, "I never quite get used to that fucker's shit, no matter how many years I've seen it. The way he picks on the weak, especially people who can't defend themselves, and destroys them from the inside out; I _hate_ it. Sess, Kouga… hell, even the Kit… seem to just shake it off, but I can't. Sess says it's because I have weak blood."

"Aren't you brothers?"

The vigilante gave a hollow, humourless laugh, "Half-brothers."

_He's never mentioned that before. _Kagome absorbed the old bitterness without comment, and instead placed her hands on top of his and squeezed them comfortingly. He opened his fingers, and the young woman laced hers with his, her palms remaining pressed to the backs of his hands. There was silence for a while, but Inuyasha wasn't any more asleep than she was, judging by his irregular breathing and the way he kept shivering. "We could get up and play Hanafuda if you want to take your mind off things," she suggested.

"No. Just… stay here. Please."

"OK."

The clock's glowing numbers flicked past with agonising slowness as the young woman concentrated all her senses on the man curled tightly around her. Eventually his body temperature warmed, and the awful shuddering stopped. His desperate embrace loosened slightly, and he relaxed against her back. _OK, I should move now as he's coming out of it. This isn't really appropriate._ As if picking up on her concerns, the vigilante tensed up and completely let go.

"D'you want me to leave?" he asked reluctantly. "I'll go if you want."

Kagome pulled a face at the thought, surprisingly and completely unenthused at the idea despite her earlier panic. On the contrary, she was warm, happy and the tiny flickers that ran up her nerves whenever he moved had her wishing that morning would never come. After a minute of trying to convince herself of the impropriety of the situation, Kagome gave up. _One night won't hurt…_ "No, don't go. Stay here." She hesitated just the tiniest moment before adding, "Please." Inuyasha rumbled approvingly, immediately and intimately wrapping himself back around the young woman. _Oh well, if you're going to damn yourself, you may as well do it in style…_ Kagome snuggled further into the warm body at her back, twining one of her legs with his.

"By the way, who's Buyo?" he asked, nuzzling her nape.

"Hmmm? Buyo?" she drowsily replied. "My cat. My family took him when they went to Okinawa because I couldn't keep him here."

"You thought I was a sodding _cat_? Should have known," the vigilante grouched. "Bloody things. Not only do they meow and piss everywhere, they have nine bloody lives, each one more annoying than the last."

Kagome gave a sleepy laugh. "Should have guessed you'd dislike cats, Mr Dog Demon."

"Keh."

"Just so you know, I don't usually sleep in the same bed as my male friends," Kagome mumbled as she drifted off.

The last thing she remembered hearing was a muttered, "I _do_ know… but if you did, I'd have to rip their arms off."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

She woke up at one point before dawn to find herself sprawled comfortably over Inuyasha's chest as he lay on his back. Her thin t-shirt was rucked up under her arms, and one of his hands slowly stroked up and down her bare skin. Murmuring in appreciation, she pressed closer to him, sending slow sensual shivers through her body. His roving hand caressed her hip, his fingertips lightly brushing the edges of her panties. "This is nice. I should have more friends like you," she half-purred, her fingers flexing against his velvet skin.

His answering growl vibrated through her body. "Don't you fucking _dare_, wench. I'd have to rip _more_ than their arms off, and it would get _really_ messy."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

He was gone by the time she woke up. Her bed seemed strangely empty without him and the window was, as ever, open. _So much for The Talk we need to have! _Remembering that she'd invited him to stay in her bed and the intimate position they'd ended up in had her flushing red with embarrassment. _Then again, I'm not sure I could even face him, let alone have a Deep And Meaningful! _Wryly shaking her head, Kagome headed into the shower, temporarily twisting her hair into a knot on her head to keep it out of the water. After dressing quickly, she was reaching for a pear when she noticed a piece of paper propped against the fruit bowl.

_Had to go. _

_See you later._

_Inuyasha _

Kagome turned the note over in her in hands, admiring the beautiful, almost old-fashioned rows of kanji. _I assumed_ _that his handwriting would be rough, if practically non-existent, but he's obviously educated; curiouser and curiousier. I have to admit, I'd almost expected a paw print!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Can you _believe_ this sort of thing happening? I bet it was that Spider or that Youkai Pack." Kagome's attention snapped towards the two people talking at the news stand as she passed them on her way towards the university. "It's _horrendous_. They should just string all of them up and get it over with."

The young woman slowed down, craning her neck to scan at the newspaper headline, and the headline jumped out at her. _"Gruesome Remains of Gangland Slaughter Found! Evidence of torture, mass murder and cannibalism in the Shinagawa district…" _

Kagome swallowed, and continued on.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Tokyo University was in a positive frenzy due to the arrival of the billionaire heirs.

Members of the press were camped outside the main Hongō campus entrance by the Akamon gate, snapping anyone that walked past as if they were besieging a red carpet gala. Kagome flinched as a camera went off in front of her face and quickly darted through the gate onto the grounds. To the young woman's surprise she was then stopped by a harassed member of the security staff, who politely demanded to see her student identification card. Displaying it for the first time in her entire university career, the medical student winced in sympathy for a staff far more used to visiting academics than famous celebrities, and who were very obviously struggling with the whole situation.

Inside, the campus was roiling with excitement. Every student it seemed, even those with a free day, had shown up with the result that the usually serene grounds had a crowded, claustrophobic atmosphere. Almost everyone was dressed to kill; the sheer numbers of short skirts, tight tops and perfectly coiffed hair around the eerily clean campus was enough to make the young woman feel she'd accidentally stepped into a film set. _Looks like everyone had the same idea as Eri! At least the library is probably empty... _the young woman thought hopefully as she wove her way through the crowds to get in a few hours' study before her lectures started.

The General Library's archway was empty of hopeful girls, but partially blocked by a crowd of official-looking types in suits. Some of the rather serious-looking men had earphones, and all were definitely on alert. _They look like bodyguards. _Curious, Kagome noticed Professor Nakamura, one of her favourite tutors, in the middle of the scrum, along with two tall men in well-cut suits, both with long black hair tied back at the napes of their necks. _I bet that's the infamous duo… Eri'll spit I saw them first! _

As she skirted round the group to reach the grey pillared walkway that led into the library, an errant breeze ruffled her hair. Three seconds later, _both_ of the dark-haired men spun around and zeroed in on her. _Oh my God. I can see why women fall at their feet._ Matching pairs of piercing violet eyes stared intently, and Kagome involuntarily took a step back, suddenly feeling like a very small rabbit in front of two attractive but rapacious tigers.

"Ah, Miss Higurashi! Come here!" Professor Nakamura cheerfully beckoned. She swallowed nervously and obeyed, smiling politely even though her fingers were white where they gripped the strap of her yellow bag. The crowd reluctantly parted to let her through, and the young woman flushed, feeling somewhat underdressed and out of place. "This is one of my stars within the Medical Faculty," he beamed. "Ryutaro and Sha Taisho, may I introduce Miss Kagome Higurashi?"

As both brothers towered over her, the young woman bowed deeply. "Pleased to meet you, gentlemen." After a moment's pause, both politely returned her greeting.

The elder brother… _that's Ryutaro, I think_… closely scrutinized her face. "You look rather familiar, Miss Higurashi. Have we met before?" The younger brother gave the elder a narrow-eyed look, but said nothing.

"I don't think so, sir. I'm _sure_ I would have remembered," she quickly replied.

He inclined his head, before adding conversationally, "Interesting scent you're wearing."

As Kagome puzzled, since she hadn't worn any perfume that day, Sha frowned briefly at his sibling before giving her a charming smile. "Don't worry, Ms Higurashi. He's just kidding about."

The young woman blinked at his smile. _There's something awfully familiar about that…._ "It's… fine. I'll tell the supermarket that their house brand of shower gel caught your interest; I'm sure they'll be flattered. Um, anyway, I should be going because I'm sure you have lots of people to meet."

Ryutaro foiled her escape attempt with an elegant gesture. "None as interesting as you, I'm sure, Miss Higurashi. Perhaps you would like to ask about the sponsorship programme?"

Kagome just managed not to wince as her professor nodded enthusiastically and gave her a thumbs-up from behind the Taishos' backs. "No, thank you. I'm sure that you'll have a lot of better-qualified people asking you for one of the places, so I don't want to take up more of your time. Good luck with your day; I hope you find what you're looking for." Bobbing her head, she backed away as quickly as decently possible. The crowd flooded back around the brothers, cutting off the rather rattled young woman. As she darted up the Library's stairs and pushed open the heavy door, her eyes were drawn back to Sha Taisho. As if they were somehow connected, he met her gaze, and suddenly smiled just for her. _I __know__ you. I'm __sure__ I do…_

Escaping that intense look and the odd flutters it caused in her heart, she missed Ryutaro Taisho's laconic comment of, "Interesting choice, little brother…"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The day was dominated by the Taishos; it didn't matter where Kagome went, in class or out, she couldn't avoid the gushing over the handsome brothers. They were the main topic of conversations that centred on how to approach them, how to speak to them, what cars they were driving, and most importantly for some people, what they could do for you. Women fluttered while men muttered jealously, and jockeying for placement in the sponsorship programme was cut-throat. Kagome did her best to turn a deaf ear, but couldn't help curling her lip at the bets being made on who would sleep with either or both of the brothers at a party at the Taisho mansion that night.

Later that day, when she checked her mail in the University's small post room, she was bemused by an anonymous gold-edged invitation to the Taisho party, wryly wondering how Eri managed to get hold of these things.

_I'm feeling a little sorry for them, because everyone views them as either a meal ticket or a chance for fifteen minutes of fame. _Ruefully amused at herself, she shook her head as she dropped the invite into the bin. _But only a little. It's hard to really pity someone who spends more in one day than your entire yearly allowance! _

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

At some point that night, Kagome vaguely heard the window creak open just enough to pull her out of sleep. The young woman purposely kept her eyes closed and muttered "You'd better be Inuyasha, I'm sleeping, and I don't even want to know the time." She heard a warm chuckle before the mattress dipped and a solid body crawled into bed next to her. Out of familiarity from the night before, Kagome rolled over to settle her head on his shoulder, draping her arm across his chest and her leg over his to press snugly against his side. The vigilante wrapped his arms around her, leaning his cheek against her hair, enveloping the girl with a sense of warm, sensual protection. "You know, we shouldn't be doing this," she murmured sleepily, "But since you're here you can stay. Although we really should have a Talk in the morning."

"Uh huh."

"So what's your reason this time?" she asked, not really needing to know the answer.

"How about I like being around you?" His voice was gentle, and he stroked her hair until she fell back asleep.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome surfaced to the feel of Inuyasha's clawed fingers gently sliding up the now-bare side of her body. Sighing appreciatively, she invitingly arched into his hand, and in response, he explored the soft curve of her hip before moving back up to her shoulder blade. Half-asleep, she hummed contentedly, snuggling closer. His hand hit material, and the stroke moved downwards again. The girl huffed, irritated at the half-caress. Reaching back, she tugged fruitlessly at the annoying impedance, sleepy and uncoordinated.

"'Kagome?"

"W'nt off."

There was a choking noise that may or may not have been a certain vigilante. "Sure?"

"Mmm-hmm." There was a soft ripping sound and then the bothersome thing was gone from her back. Kagome pushed the remains out from between them as well, cuddling closer to Inuyasha's warm body, wearing only her panties. "S'better."

His fingers stroked from the nape of her neck all the way down to the top of her buttocks. "Yeah, it is wench," he agreed as she drifted back off. "Just don't kill me in the morning."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome woke alone.

_He did it again! We're never going to have That Talk!_ Growling lightly in frustration, the girl sat up and immediately went into a state of complete mortification at her state of undress. _Oh no, I asked him to strip me as well! What must he think? _Grabbing the discarded tee-shirt from where it was crumpled next to her pillow, she pulled it over her head. It promptly fell off again into her lap, and she stared at the fraying edges of the sliced-open back. _Well, that explains how it came off so easily!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

After a long shower, Kagome sat barefoot and cross-legged on the rug cradling a cup of coffee. Eyeing the demon-dog design and sighing heavily, she wondered how Inuyasha viewed their relationship_. That's the second night he's slept in my bed, and he's seen me with pretty much nothing on. __He leaves me gifts, he makes me smile, and he teaches me stupid card games… if it was any other situation, I'd say we were a 'couple'._

_But then again… _Running her fingers through the thick pile, she considered the inherent difficulties in being involved with a masked crime-fighter._ It isn't as if I can take a disguised vigilante home to meet my mother, for a start. I've never seen him without the 'youkai' make up, or even outside of my bedsit, apart from the night I found him… and that doesn't seem right. We're isolated in a little compartment, and I'll bet that the other Youkai Pack members don't even know I exist. _Chewing over her thoughts, she uncomfortably came to the conclusion that theirs wasn't exactly a healthy relationship, if it was a relationship at all_. He's threatened physical violence to anyone else I might decide to be involved with, too._

_I don't even know his real name._

_He's never kissed me._

_We __really__ need that talk._

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The next day, Kagome headed through the Akamon gate to the Hongō campus for her lunch date with Ayumi. Grimacing at the newspaper cuttings already plastered all over the kiosk from yesterday's celebrity visit, she was deeply grateful that she'd mostly avoided the cameras. _Wait… is that Rumiko from our biochemistry class draped over Sha Taisho?_

Stepping back from the grainy image, she resumed her course to the canteen, but then noticed a child sitting alone on a nearby bench. The tiny girl was very pale, with pure white hair almost blending into her equally pale skin; it was only the near-black eyes that showed she wasn't a true albino. Her expression was oddly blank as she toyed with an elaborately-framed mirror on her lap. _What on earth is a child that young doing unsupervised on campus? _Kagome slowed as she carefully observed the small girl, and then made a decision. Altering her path towards the bench, she crouched down in front of the pale girl. "Hey there… are you lost?"

The girl glanced at her with a decidedly uninterested gaze and flatly replied, "No."

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any." The expressionless statement felt wrong coming from child who couldn't have been more than about five.

"Well, what are you doing?"

"Watching people," the girl whispered, the mirror glinting with fractional movements of her tiny hands. "Looking for lost things. Maybe it's you we're looking for? He'd like your face… but maybe not. So I won't say anything about you. Yet."

Stunned speechless and slightly unnerved, Kagome sat on her heels before her common sense kicked in. _It's just a confused little girl… right?_ "Well, you shouldn't really be here by yourself. Let me help you; I can take you to the administration offices and we'll find your guardians," the young woman offered with her most appealing smile as she held out her hand.

The girl shook her head. "I'm busy now, but you should go. You wouldn't want him to see you."

_That's the second reference to a 'him'. Why does this whole thing give me the creeps?_ "Okay. Just be careful," she cautioned. Shaking her head over the strange girl, she walked towards the canteen, and had the great luck to run into a couple of university security guards coming out of a side path. Bowing to catch their attention, she waited until the older, portly uniformed man returned her greeting.

"Mornin', Miss. Can I help you?"

"Good morning! Yes please… there seems to be a lost child on the bench back there, and I'm a bit worried about her," Kagome pointed behind her.

Glancing in the direction indicated, he bemusedly repeated, "A lost child?"

"Yes, dressed in white with white…" Kagome turned around to point properly and her voice trailed off. The bench was empty. There was no sign of the girl. _But… how could she have disappeared so quickly? She was only there a minute ago!_ Ignoring the chills down her spine, Kagome bobbed her head in apology. "Never mind. Sorry to have bothered you."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Ayumi was waiting in the canteen, a napkin already protecting her smart ensemble from any stray rice grains from her bento box and a precisely-stacked pile of books at her elbow. Kagome slid onto the empty chair across from her friend with a welcoming smile.

"Hey, Kagome; you're late as usual!" the law student greeted cheerfully.

"Not my fault!" the young woman protested, "There was a lost child at the Akamon Gate entrance and I was trying to help find her guardians."

Ayumi raised her eyebrows in surprise. "A child wandering on campus? Did you get it sorted?"

"No, she vanished before we could help."

Noticing Kagome's pensive expression, the law student remarked comfortingly, "I'm sure she'll be fine, so don't worry; nothing bad _ever_ happens on campus. Now, if she'd arrived in the middle of Typhoon Taisho yesterday, I'd be more worried!"

"You're probably right. It's just a couple of really strange things have happened in the last few months and I keep drawing all sorts of ridiculous conclusions about everything," Kagome admitted.

"_That _is from reading too much about the Youkai Pack," reprimanded Ayumi, "especially with the Shinagawa Massacre the night before last. Did you see the news reports on it?"

Kagome nodded reluctantly. "I read about it in the Library yesterday."

"The initial information is … beyond words. This is one that's going to go in the law annuals and the police are up in arms. They think that there were even more victims than the fourteen bodies they found."

Both girls were silent, staring into their bento boxes. Kagome swallowed, remembering Inuyasha's comment. "_We didn't get there in time to stop all of it."_

"Anyway, onto cheerier subjects," Ayumi said briskly. "Did you know Eri managed to wangle her way into the Taisho party?"

Kagome shook her head. "I guessed she must've because she left an official invitation for me in the post room."

Ayumi gave her friend a queer look, "There weren't official invitations, Kagome. You just got your name written on a list which they checked off at the mansion."

"Really?" The young woman paused, her rice-laden chopsticks hovering in midair. "It's a good thing I didn't go, then, or I'd have been turned away at the door."

Ayumi shrugged and continued, "Apparently, the guests of honour skipped out early, so no-one won any of the bag-the-bachelor bets. Still, it was supposedly an awesome party, and Eri's going on a date on Friday with one of the Chemistry post-docs she met there. I don't think I've seen her this infatuated before!"

Kagome grinned at the idea of a smitten Eri. "Maybe she'll stop trying to set us up with people once she's in a stable relationship. I always thought there was some displacement going on there."

"Which reminds me, how are _you_ doing in the relationship stakes? Taken the dashing Hojo up on his offer yet?"

Kagome pulled a face. "I just don't know if I feel that way about him, and it's not really a good time."

"You were thinking about him as a potential a few months back; I assumed he hadn't gotten around to asking you out." Ayumi scrutinised the girl who was desperately trying to avoid her eye, before an impish grin crossed her face. "Why, Kagome, are you seeing someone else?"

"No. Well, not exactly..." _Damn! Not only am I rubbish at lying, but I don't have a poker face either! _

"_What?_ I knew it! Tell me everything!" The enthusiastic demand almost stopped all noise in the canteen and caused plenty of craned necks.

Kagome slouched in her seat, her cheeks bright red. "There's a _possibility_ that it might become something, but it's complicated. And _no_, I'm not talking about it yet."

Ayumi laughed. "I'm _so_ getting it out of you as soon as possible!"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


	4. Illuminating Conversations

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything associated with him except a few AU storylines.

**Acknowledgements**: Gratitude and thanks to the ever-lovely Fenikkusuken, a beta above and beyond the call of duty who braved this chapter despite a determined assault from the evil piggy flu. I have told you that you're great, right?

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"And now on the eleven o'clock news…"

With a grimace, Kagome carefully closed the text book after marking her page. _Urg!_ _I'm not even half way through the immunodeficiency notes for next week. This weekend is going to __hurt__. _The young woman pushed the chair out from the table andmade her way over to the kitchenette. Peering at the new summer term schedule taped to the cupboard, the medical student winced at the next day's 9am lecture followed by two and a half hours of lab work before lunch. _I should go to bed to be ready for that tomorrow, but I'd put money on the fact Inuyasha will be back tonight to sleep here, even though he probably shouldn't. And he'll be gone by the time I wake up tomorrow, even if I ask him not to, and we still won't have straightened this out. _Remembering that she'd told him last night that she wanted to talk and he'd left nonetheless, her mouth twitched in amusement._ You know, I think the big bad vigilante might be avoiding the conversation! _

Putting the kettle on, she pulled out a mug and began to spoon extreme amounts of instant coffee granules into the mug. _We're going to get this sorted one way or another: I can be as stubborn as he is!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was nearly one in the morning when there was a soft thump from the direction of the bedsit's window. Kagome was curled up on the sofa watching some particularly appalling late night films on the tiny television, the remains of her fourth cup of coffee of the night in her hand. Glancing towards the window, the young woman threw a smile towards the silver-haired man currently straightening up.

"Good evening, Inuyasha," she greeted.

"It's one in the morning, wench! How come you're not in bed?" the vigilante asked.

Kagome mock-pouted, "Why, don't you like me when I'm awake and conscious?"

He laughed under his breath and sat down cross legged on the demon-patterned carpet in front of her. "I like you fine the way you are. You know that."

"I wanted to spend some time with you," Kagome admitted truthfully, "not just sleep next to you. We haven't talked properly for a month."

The sudden flash of a genuine smile, along with that softening in his golden eyes, temporarily took her breath away and she found herself smiling back like an idiot. There was silence for a minute, before Kagome's brain wrested control of her hormones, and poked her about The Talk. The young woman's smile faded, and she started psyching herself to bring it up.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

_How does he __do__ that? Is mind reading a Youkai Pack trick as well? _Kagome hesitated, noting the obvious opening for the conversation she wanted to have… before chickening out. "How about I just like being around you?" she murmured, using his favourite evasion.

He laughed at that. "Touché. I'll get it out of you anyway, wench. I know when you're lying."

"_Everybody_ knows. I'm a terrible liar."

"So what do you want to talk about instead?"

"Um… how was your day?"

He rolled his eyes, before dryly replying, "Fine, thank you. I spent the day signing documents, testing sports cars, avoiding women that only want me for my money, hunting for Naraku whilst on patrol and trying to discover _where_ exactly Sess hid that stick up his arse."

It was Kagome's turn to laugh at the ridiculous picture he painted. "Fine, don't tell me."

"How was your day?" he mimicked.

Kagome grinned. "I had four hours of lectures, lunch with Ayumi, got spooked by a disappearing ghostly pre-schooler, did three hours of tutorials…"

"Stop," he interrupted sharply; taken aback, Kagome halted mid-hand gesture. "What do you mean, 'disappearing ghostly pre-schooler'?" he asked.

"There was a small, really pale girl today on campus near the Akamon Gate. She seemed fine, but was playing with a mirror which worried me, and was a bit… er… well, her parents didn't do so well on socialisation," Kagome explained.

Inuyasha frowned. "A small pale girl? With really dark eyes? About this high?" he held his hand out roughly to a height of three feet off the floor.

"Yes," Kagome answered, surprised. "Do you know her?"

"_Shit_. Yes. Interesting that she's a day late. Or maybe it's unrelated. Or somehow you…" he muttered. When he focused on the bemused young woman, there was something intent and highly urgent in his expression. "What did she want? Did she _see_ you? Did you speak to her?"

"Yes, of course… I was worried that she was lost, so I asked her if she was OK. She told me she was 'looking for things', whatever that meant …." _I won't_ _mention that she told me 'he' would like my face_.

"_Fuck_. Promise me you won't speak to her if you see her again," he demanded grimly.

"What?" she asked, completely bewildered.

"Promise me!" he snapped.

"_Fine._ I promise not to speak to a helpless six year old," she grumbled in exasperation.

"I can assure you she's not helpless," he stated with authority, unable to hide the worry in his voice.

"You're going to drive me crazy, you know that? I'm already seeing patterns where there are none. You know, for a while I'd half convinced myself you were really _were_ a youkai," the young woman said ruefully. As he stiffened, she hastily added, "I know, I know, it's stupid." Giving him a wry grin, she gestured to the floor. "Especially when that rug appeared. Which reminds me, I never did thank you for it."

Inuyasha gave her a slightly crooked smile "You don't have to. I gave it to you entirely for my own reasons."

"I should though. I mean, it's gorgeous and Hojo said it was unique..."

The man went utterly still, the air almost crackling around him. "How the _fuck_ does _Hojo_ know what the floor of your bedroom looks like?"

"This isn't my bedroom, it's my flat," Kagome countered tartly.

"Which is all one fucking tiny room!" Inuyasha spat.

Kagome felt her temper rising. "Look, friends visit each other…"

"…But not in your bedroom, for fuck's sake!"

"You don't have the right to dictate that!" she retorted indignantly.

"I have every right!" The vigilante was simmering with rage. "I'm gonna…"

"For goodness sake! He's not been up here! He knows because I described it to him!" Bolstered by anger, Kagome stiffened her spine. _Right, that's it. Talk time! _"Inuyasha… are we in a relationship?"

The man went white, releasing all his breath in one whoosh. A myriad of different emotions flickered over his face as the silence between them stretched uncomfortably. Kagome drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them, her own feelings confused at his lack of response.

"What do you mean by a relationship?" he answered finally, his tone far too neutral.

"As in being part of each other's lives, going out, doing things together, being able to contact each other, usual relationship things…"

"Yes… no… kind of... Aww _shit_." Inuyasha grimaced, and ran his claws through his hair before starting again. "I want to be around you because I like your company. I can be myself here in a way that I'm not with anyone but The Pack and I want to protect you. Do you have to stick a label on it?"

"You're putting yourself in the same category as my friends like Eri and Ayumi," pointed out Kagome. "Should I treat you the same as them, or them the same as you? By that logic, I should let Hojo sleep in my bed every night!"

"_Fuck_ no!" he growled angrily. "You belong to… you belong somewhere safe."

"Then what are we?"

Inuyasha stood up abruptly and began stalking around the bedsit. Kagome didn't say anything, because the suffocating silence made it hard to breathe. _Gods,_ _I hate this, but it needs sorting. I don't want to agree to date someone else, then have Inuyasha take exception to it and terrify them half to death, or worse, to spend my nights waiting alone for something that only exists in my head. _

Finally the colourfully-dressed man threw his hands in the air, his claws flashing in the electric light. "It's not that I don't want to, but… I _can't_ bring you into my life, Kagome. It's too dangerous."

"But you're in my life already, and I'm in yours," Kagome observed, swallowing the lump that had appeared unexpectedly in her throat at the apparent rejection. "This is the third night you've come here. If you don't want this, why would you sleep here night after night? Why threaten any other man that might show an interest if you don't want me?"

"Because I'm fucking selfish, OK?" he snapped. At that confession, the anger seemed to drain out of him. Taking in her pale face, the man dropped to his knees on the rug in front of her. His canine ears flattened into his hair, the vigilante bowed his head, resting his forehead on the sofa by her legs. "Shit… I'm _sorry_ Kagome. I _am_ selfish. I _do_ want you; hell, I've half-way claimed you already, but I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Naraku's speciality is destroying and twisting relationships. If we were together right now, I'd be putting an even bigger target on you than you have already. I just… I haven't really been thinking things through… been running on instinct more than anything."

_Half-way claimed? And I have a target on me already?_ The disquieting thoughts slipped away, distracted by the distressed vigilante at her feet. Resting her hand on the back of his head in a comforting fashion, she whispered, "It's OK," but the wobble in her voice betrayed the brave words. "Are we still friends?"

He pulled away from her hand and gave the young woman a shadowed smile aimed somewhere at her left shoulder. "Of course. Do you want me to go?"

Kagome shook her head, noting the slight twitches in his hands and the way he was refusing to meet her eyes. _If he leaves now, he's probably not going to come back, _the young woman admitted starkly to herself. _We need to redefine this relationship right now if we want any chance of actually keeping this as a friendship. I don't want this to be the last time I see him. __Plus, despite telling myself I didn't mind what he chooses either way, I'm going to cry if I remain sitting here. _"Can we go out somewhere? Just for a walk, or to sit and look at the stars; nothing that costs money or where you'll be seen, but it would be nice to take our non-relationship out of my bedsit…"

"You know that line about not bringing you into my life because it's dangerous?" His voice was flat.

"I know the risks of being involved with you in any form. I'm not stupid and I _have_ thought hard about this. _I'm_ willing to take that risk because you are my friend."

The man on the floor visibly vacillated, still not looking her in the face. "You don't know what Naraku would do to you."

"I know he's capable of torturing and killing children, and someone like that is capable of anything. But it's still my choice," the young woman said quietly. Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest and Kagome held up a hand. "It's at least one in the morning and you must know of some private places where we'd be safe together… Please?"

Finally, the vigilante looked directly at the young woman's earnest expression, and threw his hands up in resignation. "Damn it, woman. I hate it when people turn puppy dog eyes on me, especially when I'm trying to be noble for once in my life." He smiled crookedly. "Out then, I guess. Trust me?"

Kagome's countenance lit up. "Yes."

"Put on a coat, then. It's chilly out there." As she scrambled into a discarded cardigan, the vigilante caught her hands in an oddly intimate gesture and gave her a half-smile when she flushed. Twisting with a catlike agility, the silver-haired man pulled her arms up over his shoulders and scooped her legs so she ended up awkwardly straddling his back. Kagome's squeak of surprise rapidly turned into a frightened screech as Inuyasha leapt out of the window and plummeted towards the pavement.

_Oh God, I'm going to die! There's no way we can get out of this alive!_ The wind roared past her ears, the windows of the tenement block blurred past faster than she could count. _Terminal velocity…_ Out of desperation, the young woman clenched her teeth to stop herself from biting off her tongue on impact with the ground, frantically trying to relax her main muscles to lessen the system shock when they inevitably smashed into the concrete. The ground approached, faster and faster. Kagome hid her face in his hair and prayed, her stomach left somewhere near the third floor.

And suddenly, the stomach lurching lunge reversed direction, and they were soaring upwards. Opening tear filled eyes, the young woman gasped as they landed several stories onto the roof of a nearby building. Inuyasha ran full-tilt towards the gap between it and the next building. Kagome tightened her arms around him in shock. _He's really going to jump it!_ His powerful muscles bunching underneath her, they took flight over the space. _We're flying!_ The speed of the head-long flight took her breath away, the wind whipping at her cheeks until they stung. Thrill took over from fear, and she laughed in sheer delight as Inuyasha took her on a very personal rooftop tour of Tokyo.

Their dizzying passage continued for what could have been hours or minutes; Kagome was so overwhelmed that she couldn't track the passage of time. His final series of acrobatic leaps were positively mind-boggling, and the young woman held on for dear life as her silver-haired ride bounced with inhuman agility up the bright orange superstructure of the Tokyo Tower, past the observation decks up to the very small platform supporting the transmission antennae.

Inuyasha balanced on the edge of the platform, turned and let her slide off his back. Kagome transferred her death-grip from his shoulders to the antenna's supporting bracket. _This is really, really, __really__ small… and it's really, really, __really__ far off the ground. But… he asked me to trust him… and I do…._ Gathering her courage, she forced herself to look outward instead of downward, and was dumbfounded at the glittering lights spread out before her in an endlessly moving blanket of energy. _It looks so much cleaner and brighter from up here… wow._ Nervousness gave way to wonderment, and finally silent awe. _It's so beautiful._

"You wanted something like star gazing, right?" Inuyasha's voice broke the spell. "The Ueno district is to your left."

"This is amazing, but I'm too afraid of this height to turn around and look," the young woman admitted, her knuckles white on the chilled metal. "I can't even see Shiba Park from here and that's directly below us. Can I borrow your arm?"

His ears flickered at her anxious tone. Assessing the situation, Inuyasha slipped around behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her firmly. Kagome's heart rate sped up as his proximity and his breath on her neck started to play havoc with her nerves. "I know this probably is a bit too close considering our earlier chat, but this is the safest way of making sure that you can enjoy the view," he murmured softly in her ear.

Kagome felt her lips curve in an involuntary smile. "OK… but only because I'm at risk of imminent death."

She felt the laugh against her back rather than hearing it. "I promise that I won't let anything happen to you."

Unsure of where to put her arms, Kagome finally rested them over his, slipping her hands inside the warm, slightly scratchy material of his jacket cuffs. Inuyasha waited until the girl had relaxed fully against him, her staccato heartbeat calming into a more normal rhythm before slowly turning both of them in a complete circle. Over the course of several minutes, the young woman murmured with wonder as the cityscape gave way to docks and distant ocean. Cushioned against the solid warmth of his body, Kagome watched the extended banks of cloud rolled in long ribbons overhead from the city to the sea and beyond, and a few stars appeared here and there in the gaps. They stood for some time, his hair streaming like a silver banner over her shoulder, as she exclaimed over the scene and picked out various distant landmarks.

Eventually Kagome's legs started trembling, and the girl shifted restlessly in his arms. Temporarily transferring her grip back to the antenna support, Inuyasha took off his jacket and laid it on the platform before assisting the enthralled woman to a seat beside him. Smiling widely at him, she nudged his shoulder. "How did you _do_ that? The running – jumping – leaping thing? I wouldn't have believed it was possible. And some of those websites had some pretty interesting theories on how you do things!"

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at her. "You saying I'm beyond your expectations? _And_ that you read up on me?"

"Yes and yes. Does that make me a stalker?"

"Close enough," he smirked.

"Fine talk from a man who has crawled into my bed two nights in a row," Kagome retorted, amused. "So, how do you leap tall buildings in three bounds?"

"Magic."

"I can tell you as an official ex-shrine resident and recipient of too many 'magical' talismans from my Grandfather that there's no such thing as magic," the young woman said archly, "so you'd better have another explanation."

Inuyasha flicked his canine ears. "I really am a hanyou?"

"As in 'half-demon'…like in the book?" At his nod, Kagome started giggling. "Just because I admitted that I thought you could be a youkai…trust you to throw that back at me!"

He grinned back, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to shield the shivering young woman from the night wind. "You know, I love being outside; I hate being cooped up. Too many bad experiences when I was younger." His voice was peaceful as he looked towards the twinkling horizon.

_I don't I've seen him smile this much before. Coming out here was a good plan._ Kagome tilted her head up to smile at him. With a jolt, she realised that their faces were only a few inches apart. Inuyasha's gaze fastened on her mouth, his eyes darkening. Slowly, he leant over, pausing a hairsbreadth away from her face, his intent obvious.

"Kissingis definitely _not_ allowed between 'just friends'," the young woman whispered. "You made it clear we're not in a relationship."

"Fuck it," he murmured, his voice husky. "It was a really stupid call and I take it back."

Without looking away, he decreased the distance, until his lips touched hers. _What does he mean, 'take it back'? I really should stop this now and ask for clarification… _Kagome watched his eyes flutter shut before closing her own, concentrating solely on the whisper soft feel of his mouth against hers. One claw-tipped hand slid slowly up the side of her face to tangle in her hair as his tongue touched the seam of her lips. In response, the young woman granted him access, allowing him to gently explore her mouth. Sensation ran from her lips down her down to her stomach until they broke the kiss, gasping for air. Inuyasha looked at her in wonder, before he smiled and wrapped both arms tightly around her in a bear hug.

"That… that's _really _not fair… and _this _isn't either, if we're not in a relationship!" The girl protested as her mind returned enough to give a real sense of righteous indignation, then stilled as he nuzzled her forehead.

"You blindsided me earlier when you asked, and I spooked. The last proper 'relationship' I had with someone that I really cared about didn't exactly end well. So… yes we _are_ in a relationship. I think of you as 'mine', and if you have any other men in your bedroom it'll get _monumentally_ messy."

"And _this_ is how you ask someone out, you idiot?" Kagome huffed.

"No," the vigilante replied thoughtfully, "I believe it's more like _this_."

Pulling her into his lap, he proceeded to kiss her thoroughly. The young woman's annoyance vanished in a haze of feeling that left her light headed and her fingers wound tightly in his hair. After a minute he pulled back and regarded her dazed expression with a no little smugness. Stroking her cheek with the back of his claws, he asked seriously "Kagome Higurashi, will you consent to be in a relationship with me? I'm not going to lie to you; I'm not a great person to be involved with. I can't promise to take you out to places, I can't involve you in my life beyond this… hell, I can't promise a lot. But I can promise there'll be no-one else but you."

Caught off balance, Kagome flushed scarlet. "Err… yes."

Inuyasha smirked, flashing a fang. "Should damn well think so. I don't come out with crap like _that_ for just anyone."

The young woman burst out laughing, before he claimed her mouth for another kiss.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

An hour later, with her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen, Kagome slid off Inuyasha's back onto the floor of her bedsit. Whilst she vanished into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair, the vigilante dropped down on the vibrant rug. Kagome stuck out her tongue in the mirror to examine the small cut on the tip, smiling as she remembered Inuyasha's almost embarrassed apology. _It was rather sweet, telling me he wasn't used to kissing girls when he had fangs! _Emerging in a different but equally antique tee shirt after the Inuyasha-sponsored demise of her usual one the night before, the girl dithered as she looked between her bed and the man sprawling on her floor.

"Are you going to invite me to stay?"

The soft question voiced her current quandary, and Kagome gave a nervous smile. "Aren't you supposed to leave me at the door on the first official date?"

"That only works when both people on the 'first date' didn't wake up in the same bedroom this morning," he snorted.

Flushing, the young woman muttered, "I don't _know_. It feels different to invite you to stay as opposed to you dropping in unexpectedly… it seems… kinda brazen? Like I'm asking for something more than I actually want right now? I mean, I don't want to lead you on…"

The playfulness dropping from his expression, Inuyasha rose to his feet and moved gracefully to stand in front of her. Giving her a level look, he assured, "It'll just be to sleep, I promise… unless _you_ change your mind. I like being around you."

Lost in his eyes, Kagome found herself nodding. He stepped back, and the blushing young woman scrambled into bed, tucking herself under the duvet. Nervously, she flipped back the corner of the quilt in invitation, but her expression was vulnerable.

"I promised… remember? Trust me." His bittersweet smile calmed her nerves and she was able to settle back into the bedding with only the slightest flutter. As he dropped his clothing into a pile with an economy of movement, Kagome glanced away to give Inuyasha some privacy as he stripped to his underwear. "You're allowed to look, you know," he offered with badly-disguised smugness.

_That sounded like a challenge! _Kagome met his amused gaze squarely before deliberately running her eyes over taut skin covering lean muscles.

"You're drooling, wench."

Pulling up the blanket to disguise her burning cheeks, Kagome tried not to ogle and failed. _OK, maybe not such a good idea to check out the person about to come into your bed, when he looks like a male model! _

Smirking at her reaction, Inuyasha turned off the light before slipping under the covers and tucking the nervous young woman firmly against his chest. A rumble started up; Kagome almost commented before realising what it was. _He's… purring? Isn't he supposed to be a __dog__? _

Her guest began running his claws up and down her side under her tee shirt, each pass slower and less co-ordinated. The young woman relaxed into the caress, although she wondered ruefully if this tee shirt would meet the same fate as the one from the day before. Eventually, his hand came to rest on her hip, his fingers tapping on her skin. "I meant t'ask," he slurred, his voice thick with sleep, "where'd you get this scar? Nev'r saw it until yest'day"

_Why's he so interested in my scars? _Kagome replied, "An accident when I was fifteen. I fell down the well at my family's shrine and a piece of debris stuck deep inside. It had to be surgically removed; I had so many stitches the doctor lost count. My grandfather nearly had a stroke over the whole thing."

"F'teen? Five years 'go?"

"Yeah… nearly six."

"Y'know, was same time t'ping'd up."

"Hmm?" An answering rumble was her only reply. _He's out cold!_ Biting her lip in thought, Kagome wriggled out of his arms with some difficulty and sat up against the pillow. Gazing down at her bedfellow in the dim light, the young woman realised she had never really seen the vigilante slumbering without pain.

Inuyasha looked younger in sleep, long eyelashes fanning down onto smooth cheeks. One ear flickered, and unable to resist any longer, the young woman gently stroked the soft, downy fur, folding over the tip and running her fingers around the base. _There's no circuitry, no wires…._ In response, the man purred contentedly in his sleep. _These ears seem to be a part of him… I'd swear that they were real._ Sliding her fingers gently down his head, she brushed her fingertips over the smooth, unmarked skin where a normal human's ears should be. _This is strange… has he had his ears surgically removed? That would leave some sort of scar! _Frowning, she considered what else she hadn't noticed while he was undressing._ Hang on… there was nothing unusual on his body or in his clothing. No weapons, no augmentations, nothing strapped to him, nothing that would help him jump like that. Just… fabric and muscles. And no scars at all from his wounds in February, either. Something __really__ doesn't add up here…_

Her uncomfortable thought train was derailed as Inuyasha reached out for her in his sleep. His clawed hand latching onto her thigh as he located his goal, he pulled himself closer until his head was in her lap and his arms around her waist. Kagome stoked his hair in a soothing manner, leading to another round of purring and his arms tightening. _What he might or might not be doesn't matter, really… _Overwhelmed by strong feelings for this strange, wonderful man, Kagome pulled her tee shirt over her head and snuggled back down into Inuyasha's embrace. The vigilante muttered something and wound himself possessively around her. Twining her legs with his, she gloried in the bare velvety skin touching hers almost everywhere. _I hope he doesn't mind_ was her last conscious thought before she drifted off to sleep.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome woke up a few hours later, at the usual time her alarm would have rung, despite a lot less rest than usual. Surfacing from her warm and contented state, the young woman found her vigilante still asleep, her limbs intertwined with his, her head pillowed on his shoulder, bare skin against bare skin. Ruefully, the girl considered the compromising position which was entirely of her own making. _I should be grateful he didn't wake first for once, because it certainly looks like I changed my mind! I have to get up for lectures, anyways._ Intending to escape his grasp, she gently pushed away from her bed companion's chest and her palm slid over warm, firm skin.

Her common sense had a minor fight with her hormones and lost. Instead of disentangling herself, the girl ran her fingers down the man's chest, tracing the planes and curves of his body. He moaned softly, and she hastily pulled her hands away. _Now I'm groping him when he's asleep!_ After a minute with no reaction, Kagome relaxed and contemplated the morning's schedule while trying to not be tempted by the sleeping man in her bed. _I really don't want to go, but I have to._ _A goodbye kiss won't hurt, then I'll get up… _Pushing herself upright, she leaned over and pressed her mouth against his.

Faster than she could have expected, Inuyasha's arms wrapped tightly around her. The young woman gasped as the contact sparked down her nerves, emphatically aware that the only thing between her and a very awake and aroused male were two thin scraps of material. The vigilante used the opportunity to kiss her thoroughly whilst slowly grinding his erection against her thigh. Kagome shuddered as the silver-haired man unlocked his arms, sliding his hands round to palm her breasts, his thumbs gently rubbing her nipples into peaks. The young woman whimpered and arched into his hands, heating pooling between her legs.

Inuyasha somehow managed to pull away. "If you want me to keep that promise, we need to stop _now,_" he gritted out. "I _mean_ it."

Kagome tried desperately to ignore her surging arousal. "It's a little too quick…" she murmured, her voice almost inaudible as she squeezed her thighs together in a vain attempt to control the thundering in her veins. Inuyasha nodded, his fists clenching against her ribs as he took deep, calming breaths. After a few minutes he relaxed, but tucked her against his side, apparently intending to go back to sleep with her in his arms. Reluctantly, Kagome tried to sit up. "I have to get to class."

"Skip it," he suggested.

"I can't… I have 9am lectures."

"You haven't had much sleep."

"I know… but it's hard to catch up, especially on labs, and I have a long one this morning."

He sighed quietly, pouting his lower lip in a very distracting manner. "Please? Just a little longer? I have to leave before it gets much lighter anyways."

Her resistance crumbled in the face of his persistence, as well as the warm length of his body pressing against hers. She curled into him, and laced her fingers with his claw-tipped ones. "OK… but I'll probably curse you this weekend, when I have a pile of homework that'll rival Mount Fuji."

"Curse away, but leave the purification salts out of it. They make me sneeze."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Inuyasha came back the next night, and the next, and the night after that, too. Kagome deliberately pushed her curiosity about his appearance and abilities to the side when he was with her, preferring to enjoy his company than fret. However, she pondered the enigma he represented during the days when her textbooks held less attractive prospects. The medical student even found herself fruitlessly haunting the Edo fiction of the Katei Collection in the General Library for inspiration on youkai and hanyou, until she was politely directed back to the science sections by an unimpressed librarian.

Kagome grew used to the warmth of Inuyasha's body next to hers in her narrow bed, the pressure of his mouth on hers and over her body, the feel of his muscles under her fingers, their soft pants and whimpers in the darkness, and the shedding of more of her inhibitions as his fangs scraped her skin. He didn't deliberately push her into the final levels of intimacy, but when _all_ of their clothing ended up on the floor by the fourth night after their high-flying date, Kagome realized that it wouldn't be long before they took the final step and the idea made her positively glow with anticipation.

_Who'd have thought he'd bother dying __all__ his hair to match? _


	5. Shadowed Events

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters I am shamelessly borrowing. I will return them mostly unscathed, honest.  
**Acknowledgements**: Thanks as always to the Mistress of the Hounds, the lovely Fenikkusuken, who generously gave her time to correct my mistakes and beat me over the head for bad grammar, timing and missing props :).

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

_Oh no! _Kagome gulped audibly in the sudden silence as three pairs of eyes honed in on her. _That's torn it!_

It was Monday lunchtime in the new semester's second week on the Shironake campus. On an outside wooden table near the ornamental lawn, three young women gaped at their blushing companion as she attempted to reposition the dainty scarf that had slipped off her neck.

Ayumi broke the quiet first. "I _knew_ you were up to something last week!" she exclaimed, "Who are you, why do you have a love bite on your neck, and where did you put our sweet, innocent Kagome?"

"Would you believe me if I said I tripped and fell against a space heater?" the medical student asked hopefully.

"And managed to do it without hitting your head? You know that's highly improbable, right?" Yuka propped her chin on her hand, amused. "Even _I_ know you're fibbing, Kagome, and I'm the most gullible one here. You're not getting out of this one."

"And on that note, Miss Secretive… spill it!" Eri demanded good-naturedly, wagging a perfectly manicured finger at the embarrassed girl. "You know all about my date with Hideo, so turnabout is fair play."

Kagome looked at the bright-eyed, inquisitive faces of her three closest friends and surrendered gracefully. "Okay, okay, I'll come clean! I'm… I'm seeing someone," she admitted.

Eri grinned at her acquiescence. "Excellent! So, details! What's his name for a start?"

_Oops_. "Errr…" Kagome hedged. _I can't call him 'Dog Demon', so Inuyasha's out… or Inu… or Yasha for that matter! Yash? Asha? _Her eyes fell on the university news rag with the photo of the celebrity guests from last week and opened her mouth without thinking._ "_His name'sSha."

Eri choked on her iced tea, nearly knocking her language lecture notes onto the ground. "Sha? As in the billionaire Sha Taisho? You've been holding out on us!"

Kagome laughed, "No, no! Different Sha!"

"What's he like? Is he a student here? How'd you meet him?" Yuka asked breathlessly.

Kagome carefully filtered the questions. "He's a bit mysterious, and works in… law enforcement. I met him three months ago when he was working, but we've only recently begun seeing each other."

Ayumi's face fell, her teasing forgotten. "Law enforcement? Here in Tokyo? That's dangerous, Kagome."

"Tell me about it," Kagome agreed softly, remembering that blood-spattered first meeting.

"Wait… was that why you suddenly became interested in the gangs a couple of months ago? Is he working in that area?" Ayumi sharply asked.

Kagome winced. _She's too astute: at least she'll make a good lawyer! _Instead,the medical student looked down at her bento box and didn't answer, hoping her friend didn't probe too deeply.

Missing the quiet byplay, Yuka cheerfully broke in," So when do we get to meet him? He's must be something special to displace the eminently eligible Hojo."

"Umm… not sure. He works pretty unsociable hours," Kagome hedged.

Eri and Yuka exchanged looks, before Eri commented. "Well, enquiring minds want to know. Bring him out with you one night, because we have to make sure that he's not a closet psycho."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at Eri's comment, despite Ayumi's pensive look. _There really isn't anything 'closet' about his, um, psychological health!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The shadows were lengthening later that day as the four girls walked to Eri's flat for an evening of movies. Kagome chatted to Yuka, a little behind the other two as their cheerful voices echoed around the empty street. The geography student was asking for more details on the sanitised, heavily edited and generally unrecognisable adaptation of she and 'Sha's first date and cooing over the details. Kagome couldn't help but grin ruefully at the version she'd told at lunch. _If it was true, I'd be cooing too._ _After all, who could resist the romance of an 8pm trip to Uneo Park and the subsequent restrained kiss on the viewing platform before a gentlemanly escort home?_ Ayumi had given her a number of narrow looks at the pauses and infinitesimal hesitations in her story, but to the medical student's relief, the latter hadn't said anything.

They were half way to their destination when the discordant ringing of metal on metal made chills run down Kagome's back._ That doesn't sound right._ Involuntarily the young woman, cautiously glancing around for the source. "Do you hear that, Yuka?"

Yuka stopped next to her, her expression instantly changing. "What _is_ that?" Eri and Ayumi also paused, and instantly ceased debating the merits of possible films for the night to listen in.

A glint of green light flashed from above, and Kagome's head shot up. _What on earth? _The girl frowned, finding it oddly familiar.A page from her months of website trawling clicked in her mind. _I know what that is… it's_ _the tail end of an energy whip… _She shushed the others before hissing, "Youkai Pack," as she pointed upwards. Instantly, all four girls pressed themselves into the nearest doorway, peering from under the lintel to scan the sky.

There was very little to see apart from random flashes and flares of light until they caught a glimpse of a tall, commanding presence, his white hair streaming in the wind of his movement as he swung a gleaming sword at a feminine figure wearing a kimono. _Ahhh…_ _that must be_ _Sesshomaru. Don't know the woman._ With a twist he disappeared back beyond the rooftop. A minute later, Kagome recognised Inuyasha as he leapt between buildings with his claws extended, yelling something at the top of his lungs. A moment after, tiles and debris rained down onto the street as a man leapt backwards across the gap, his massive sword extended defensively. _Is that the guy they called_ _Bankotsu on that one website_? She shivered as she recalled the lurid details of the Spider's pet group of mercenaries who had been accused of massacring three entire families including their children. _Is this the Band of Seven? That would make the 'woman' Jakotsu then… _

Kagome paid attention as a red-headed male in a kimono, with three tails flickering behind him, jumped across the width of the street far above their heads. He threw down smoke bombs and disappeared into the screen, leaving the women below wide-eyed. _Shippo? He's the only one of the Pack with red hair… but he was a child in the stories about the Shikon no Tama._ There was more movement as several figures followed 'Shippo' across to the other side of the street; the Youkai Pack seemed outnumbered, but they more than matched their opponents.

The sounds of the rooftop battle began to fade, and the girls edged out of the protection of the doorway. "Wow! That was _awesome_!" Eri breathed. Kagome nodded, feeling an odd pride at seeing _her_ Inuyasha fighting like the youkai he was named for.

None of them were prepared for the body that smashed into the pavement right in front of them. The concrete cracked upon impact, stress lines fracturing out from the bloodied victim. Yuka screamed before clamping her hand over her mouth, whilst Eri and Ayumi stood in mute horror. However, Kagome dropped to her knees near the man's head. _Bare chest and arms with_ _no spider tattoos… _Reaching out, she pressed her fingers to his neck. _Come on… you can't be dead. You don't have a tattoo, and you must have been part of the fight, so you have to be part of the…_ She'd barely made contact with his skin when his eyes snapped open. They were astonishingly bright blue, and practically crackling with annoyance.

Kagome yanked back her hand, scrambling onto her feet. The man picked himself up, swearing luridly. He was undeniably good looking, wearing little but a fur pelt, boots and an antique armoured breastplate. _This must be Kouga, the 'Wolf Prince'._ Seemingly unaware of the fact that he'd just fallen seventy feet, the Pack member dusted himself off, his tail thrashing in irritation. _Tail? His ears are pointy, too…._ Flicking his attention to Kagome, he gave the young woman an appreciative once-over.

"Why, hello, beautiful! What's a nice girl like you doing…." Pausing, he sniffed and blinked before continuing, "…smelling like Dog-shit?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked, considerably shocked.

"Nothing, Beautiful." Giving her a very feral smile whilst looking her up and down in a considering manner, he added, "If you're into youkai, I'm a _much_ better bet. Feel free to look me up when you get bored… or maybe I'll come find you." Blowing Kagome a kiss, he leapt upwards and disappeared.

"'Into youkai'? What did he mean?" Ayumi demanded suspiciously.

"Er… I have no idea" the embarrassed young woman muttered back, whilst fruitlessly checking the soles of her shoes for the mentioned canine faeces.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

That night Inuyasha didn't come back to her bedsit.

Kagome stared miserably at the ceiling, missing the feeling of strong arms around her and the warm body at her back. After seven nights of his constant presence, the girl found herself unable to sleep without him, and worse, worrying desperately over his absence. As the digital display flicked over to 2:00am, Kagome kicked off the covers and stripped the bed of the sheets which smelled subtly of his skin and replaced them with freshly laundered ones, but it didn't help. She finally gave up and dressed, dejectedly putting the kettle on. A few minutes later, curled on the sofa with a camomile tea, Kagome miserably faced the harsh reality of the situation. _He could be dead after the fight we saw and there's no way I'd know. I don't have a phone number, an address, a contact, anything._

The anxious young woman watched dawn break over the horizon through the open window, counting down the minutes until the local paper shop opened at six. She skittered over to buy a copy of the _Tokyo Times _the minute it arrived, almost snatching the bundle of newsprint out of the deliveryman's hands. Leaning against the brick wall outside, the girl frantically scanned the pages, finally locating what she was looking for on page three. _It must have been going on for a while if this was reported as far as the Nakano Ward… no bodies… but then, would they have found him in my alley when he was injured? _

Flicking through the rest of the pages, Kagome noticed an editorial with a blurred image of what might have been 'Shippo' if she squinted, and a title "The Masked Menace". Curious, she examined the text. Still reeling from the Shinagawa Massacre and incensed by the aerial fight exactly a week later, the editor bitterly rallied against any and all disguised individuals in Tokyo. Whilst calling for a death penalty on the Spider and his mob, he accused the Youkai Pack of being as dangerous and unpredictable as the underworld gangs they battled, squarely laying half the blame for the dead at their feet. The final column was a plea for information and an offer of a substantial reward if it led to an arrest. Kagome crumpled the paper in her hands and took several deep breaths, willing herself not to cry.

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The rest of the day was pure torment as the young woman worried alternately over whether Inuyasha had been injured in the fight and the city's hostile attitude towards her vigilante. Skipping her planned morning library session, she brooded in her bedsit until it was time to head to campus. Kagome pulled herself through her afternoon lectures, deeply grateful for the company of Hojo. Her fellow medical student noticed her air of preoccupation and gave her copies of his notes without comment, before insisting on taking her to the canteen for tea after class. He was deliberately undemanding company, and his aura of tranquillity calmed the young woman for the first time all day.

Hojo was enthusiastically telling her about some of the traditional cures he had researched, and Kagome gave him a fond smile, before she frowned. _I wonder if he knows about 'Sha' yet… but then, telling him without a lead in seems a little… brutal?_ The young woman tried to work out a way to raise the topic throughout the rest of the conversation, but in the end didn't say anything for fear of ruining the calm she so desperately needed.

It was nearly 6pm when the pair put down their cups.

"Higuarashi? I'm sorry to have to cut and run, but I've got athletics practice starting at 6.30…" Hojo said apologetically.

"Of course. It's been really nice to catch up." Kagome smiled fondly. "Thank you again for the tea."

The man smiled back. "Any time. Be careful when you walk home, remember? In fact, maybe you should ask Eri for a lift."

The girl shook her head. "I'm going home right now, and it's light for at least another hour, so please don't worry." As Hojo hesitated, Kagome made a gentle shooing motion. "You're going to be late. I'll be fine, I promise."

Finally he nodded, pushing back his chair with a small bow of his head before heading out with his sports bag over his shoulder. Kagome leisurely finished her tea, feeling a lot more serene and mentally sorting out a timetable for her evening study. _Right, home time…_

Stepping back out into the evening sunshine, the hair stood up on the back of the young woman's neck. The same pale, preternaturally still, small girl was sitting on a bench. Except this time, the child's jet black eyes were fixed directly on Kagome. She tilted the mirror slightly, and Kagome blinked as the light reflected into her eyes.

Mindful of Inuyasha's demand, she hurried towards the gate without talking to the tiny child, feeling distinctly troubled.

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That night, Kagome stood at the open window staring into the moonless night sky, waiting for Inuyasha to return.

He didn't.

_That's two nights now. Two nights without a word. Where __is__ he?_

For the first time, Kagome hated both the secrecy and what he did as dread curled around her heart.

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Arriving on the Hongo campus for a class the next morning, Kagome was disturbed to find police tape blocking the main entrance to the Administration building. Glancing around, she took in the details. The building itself showed clear evidence of violence: long indented gashes over four feet long gashed the clean brickwork, the door had been forced off its hinges and the nearest window was broken. The glass had been swept to the side, although one or two slivers glinted in the sunshine. Two police officers were taking stock of the damage, one marking measurements whilst the other snapped pictures of the destruction. Three of the university security staff were giving statements to another member of the force. Just outside of the fluttering tape, a group of students idly watched the activity whilst muttering amongst themselves; uncomfortable and curious, the young woman headed over to them.

"Do you have any idea what happened?" she asked the group at large.

"Break in last night. Someone went into the University safe and stole all the antique display pieces," a tall man with a mop of dyed hair said in a low voice, his face worried.

"That's _not _good," Kagome murmured in shock. "I take it that means we can't get into the post room yet?"

One of the other students shook his head. "Not yet. They're collecting as much evidence as possible, but they've promised to let us back in afterwards… at least, into the areas not directly affected by the theft."

"This is _horrible_." The young woman swallowed a lump in her throat. "It always felt so safe here on campus." With a sigh, Kagome nodded her thanks to the group. Glancing at the crime scene before heading to her class, something made her pause. _Those long slash marks…._ She shook her head at the crazy connection her brain had decided to provide.

_Why do they remind me of Inuyasha's injuries the first night we met?_

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By the time her morning class was over, the Administration Building was mostly up and running, with nearly all areas again accessible. Trekking across the quadrangle to check her post, she was hailed by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Kagome!" Eri waved from her spot in front of the huge notice board plastered with announcements both official and personal, including scholarship finalists, rooms to let, clubs and activities, and pleas for tuition assistance. The language student was bouncing with barely restrained glee, her hair gleaming in the sunshine. Kagome eyed the linguist with friendly suspicion, wondering exactly what warranted this level of excitement.

"Good morning, Eri! You're looking happy."

"Damn right, and on your behalf!" The fashionably dressed young woman grinned merrily at her mystified companion before pointing at the notice board. "Look, you're on the shortlist for one of the Taisho sponsorships!"

Kagome peered in disbelief at the copperplate announcement emblazoned with the Taisho _mon_ front and centre on the board, tucked next to an offering of new kittens and a notice asking all Okinawan students to report to the post room; something about an unclaimed parcel. "I'm _what_? But I didn't put my name down for it! That's really _weird_."

"True, but the Brothers Taisho were only here a week ago, so this list must have been put together by the staff," Eri suggested. "Maybe your Professor Nakamura put you down for it?"

"Maybe..." Completely bewildered, Kagome's mind made the illogical connection that the sponsorship was Ryutaro Taisho's way of making up for the oddness of his initial comments to her. _Come to think of it, why does everyone keep mentioning my scent?_

"By the way, you look exhausted. Your mystery man keeping you awake at night?"

Kagome evaded Eri's teasing grin with a flippant wave. _You have __no__ idea… and definitely not in the 'fun' way._

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It was just after nightfall on Wednesday. Kagome sat curled up on the floor reading a letter, her fingers tangled in the thick pile of the soft rug. Glancing up at a muffled noise, the young woman's heart leapt as her absent vigilante slid through the window. Dropping her missive, she leapt up and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Inuyasha's arms wrapped firmly around her as he buried his face in the side of her neck.

After a few minutes, Kagome pulled back far enough to give him a watery smile. "Are you OK? What happened?"

He tilted his head, his expression curious. "Nothing happened… why?"

"_Nothing happened_…?" The girl's voice trailed off in shock whilst relief warred with fury. As Inuyasha continued to look blank, anger won. Kagome pulled out of his arms and slapped him across the face. Hard.

Inuyasha's jaw went slack. "Fuck, bitch! What was _that_ for?" he demanded, rubbing his cheek.

"For making me sick with worry about you, idiot!"

"I can't always come here. I have a different life to lead as well as…" Inuyasha snapped his mouth shut.

"We had a _deal_. I told you that I wanted to know you were safe, and that was just when we agreed to be _friends_. And then I saw you fighting with the Band the other night and… well, considering the shape you were in when we first met, I think it's _obvious_ why I'd worry!" Kagome angrily retorted.

Inuyasha was silent for a minute, before he nodded slowly. "I… I didn't have a way to contact you that didn't involve coming here," he admitted. "I did think about it after Kouga said he'd seen you, but we were chasing The Band all night, and I… couldn't come last night."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at what appeared to be an evasion. "Why not?" _And how on earth did Kouga know who I was?_

"I just couldn't, all right?" Inuyasha refused to meet her eyes, his ears flat against his head.

_He looks __really__ uncomfortable. If I push this I could cause a really bad fight, and I don't want that now._ Kagome sighed, the anger draining away and instead leaving only an echo of the previous nights' misery. "I've been tearing myself up for the past two days, convinced you were dying somewhere and being desperately terrified because I had no way of reaching you."

Inuyasha grimaced before reaching for her; when she stepped back into his embrace, he tucked her under his chin and cuddled her close. "I'm sorry," he apologised softly. As her shoulders started to shake, he hastily added "Don't cry. I hate it when women cry."

The girl sniffed. "I can't help it; you really, really scared me..."

The vigilante hugged her tighter. "Look, we probably should have done this a while back, but… swap numbers?"

Kagome made a noise somewhere between a sob and a giggle at the prosaic nature of the suggestion. "Weren't we supposed to do that on the first date rather than sleep together?"

Inuyasha tilted her face towards him and gave her a look that was pure sensual mischief. "_That _would have been _much_ less fun," he purred.

The girl gave a hiccupping laugh, pushing him away to locate a pen and paper among the copious piles of homework spread over the rickety table. Scribbling down her mobile number, the young woman handed the scrap over to the vigilante, who scanned it before tucking it into his sleeve. He then took the pen in his clawed fingers; leaning over her shoulder, he wrote down a series of numbers in the same flawless script from before. Admiring the confident characters, Kagome suddenly noticed something incongruous. "That's a landline number. Not a mobile?"

"Yeah. None of us carry mobiles at night." At her curious look, he added, "They're too easy to track, so we go without." Inuyasha tapped the paper on the desk. "That's a communal number we use; you'll get the answering machine, so leave a message and I'll get back to you when I pick it up. Just remember… anything you say the others'll hear, so nothing naughty, OK?"

Kagome gave him a droll look. "OK. Just make sure you tell me when you're vanishing for days, or at least leave a message on my mobile."

The vigilante nodded, before he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "So, are we good now?"

Leaning back in his arms, the tension of the last few days finally left her body. "Yes, we're good," she assured, "although I do have one question about something…."

"What _now_?" Inuyasha grumbled, but his tone was playful.

"How did Kouga recognise me? I've never met him before… do you have a photo of me, or something? All he said was that I smelt… well, smelled like I'd stepped in something bad." Inuyasha's chest vibrated against her back, and Kagome realised he was laughing. "It's not funny! I was _mortified_! He said that I smelled like… like…"

"Dog-shit?" Inuyasha suggested dryly.

"Um… yes. How did you _know_?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it. I'll make him come here and apologise."

Kagome wrinkled her nose, remembering with acute embarrassment the appreciative once-over… and the vaguely-lewd offer… that Kouga had given her. "I'd rather you didn't, actually."

Inuyasha frowned, but didn't push it apart from muttering, "Stupid wolf", and squeezing her until she mildly protested. After a sweet kiss, Inuyasha released her and sat himself down on the rug, inspecting the neatly stacked notes and the letter lying on top as Kagome moved to the kitchen area and put on the kettle. "So, apart from missing me _desperately…._" He grinned at her derisive snort. "Anything else exciting happen?"

"Yes. I'm on a shortlist for a sponsorship, even though I didn't apply…." She paused as his eyebrow twitched in an interesting way before continuing, "and we had a break-in at the University this morning. Ramen or tea?"

"Tea. A break-in? Anything stolen?" Inuyasha asked, perhaps a bit too casually.

Kagome leant against one of the counters while waiting for the water to boil. "There are a whole load of antiques in the university that are displayed in rotation; you know, swords, statues, antique jewellery, that sort of thing. Someone forced the doors and raided the storage safe. Everything inside was taken." The young woman filled the cups and put the kettle back in place.

"Do the police have any leads?" the vigilante asked tersely.

"None they would admit to a bunch of students today, although the current theory on campus is that the thieves saw pictures in the newspaper from the recent celebrity visit and thought it looked like a good heist." Picking up the cups, the girl crossed the room and handed over a mug before sitting down next to Inuyasha. "However, there's a twist… the police were going to call in their antiquities specialists, until it came out this afternoon that most of the items were replicas. Apparently, the originals had been sold years ago to fund the new Theology library. Bit embarrassing for the Dean to admit it to the insurance people, though. We all thought they were genuine, and the University Board is mortified that their deep, dark secret's become public!"

Inuyasha relaxed and laughed, which turned into a yelp as he sipped his piping hot tea. "Are you trying to scald me?"

"I'm so sorry!"

At her guilty look, the vigilante sighed. "Don't worry about it, wench. I should have left it for a bit." As he went to put his mug down on top of her notes, the young woman reached around him and whisked the letter out of harm's way. Inuyasha gestured towards it and asked, "What's that? Anything interesting?"

"Mama's giving me an update on the family and warning me that my Grandfather has sent me another parcel with a 'survival kit'. It's probably something horrendous as usual. The last pack contained a llama foetus and a dried _kappa_ hand. I've never smelt anything so vile in my life!" The young woman's mouth curled in an amused smile, and the vigilante paused at the soft expression.

"How come you're not attending university where they live? I know how close you are to them, and it's pretty obvious you miss them."

Kagome blew on her tea. "I'd already been accepted by Tokyo University when my family moved to Okinawa."

Inuyasha snorted. "You ready to tell me the truth now about why they decided to move?"

Kagome sent him a look of wide-eyed shock before muttering, "My grandfather's health wasn't great…"

"Uh huh. You've said that before, and I believe it as much now as I did then. You're telling me a Shrine family who's guarded the kami for generations just packed up and left because they felt like a change of air?"

Kagome flushed scarlet, dropping her gaze to the colourfully-patterned rug. "You make it sound like we did something wrong…"

"No, I'm making it sound as ridiculous as it is."

The young woman chewed her lip before giving in. "It _is _true that the move was for his health, but that's not the whole story." Kagome paused, trying to get her thoughts in order. "The Spider appeared three years ago, but Tokyo was already in a bad state. People seem to forget that; I mean, it was no picnic for a couple of years before he showed up." Taking a sip of tea to wet her throat and calm her nerves, she continued, "When I was sixteen, over the course of six months, the Shrine was broken into four times. The police said the Shrine was some kind of a thief-magnet, because no-one else in the neighbourhood was hit, and advised us to move. While we were talking about it, the final break-in occurred and my little brother Souta walked in on the thieves when they were ransacking one of the storerooms. I'm not sure of the details, because Souta was pretty traumatised, but he said there were three of them. One of them pulled some sort of machete on him; he managed to escape, but one of the swipes caught him across the back and he needed twenty stitches. By the time we came back from the hospital, with a police escort, there was nothing of value left. The thieves were never caught."

Inuyasha clasped her hand, silently encouraging her to finish her story. She gave him a faint, grateful smile. "The attack on Souta was the final straw; Grandfather nearly had a nervous breakdown. Said that some things were too important to risk and needed to be protected, and moved my mother and brother to Okinawa. He wasn't happy with my decision to stay, but I'd worked _so hard_ to pass the entrance exams that I couldn't just walk away." The corners of the girl's lips tilted in a bittersweet smile. "I'd always thought the Shrine and its assorted relics were more important to my Grandfather than his family. It took half a year of terror and a serious injury to prove that I was wrong, because Grandpa took only the clothes on his back and a few keepsakes that had survived the robberies."

"You'd have been safer on Okinawa with them than living here on your own," he pointed out.

"I know, but this is still one of the best medical schools in the country and I didn't want to have to wait another year to go through the application process again." Kagome squeezed his fingers and smiled shyly. "If I'd gone with them, I wouldn't have met you."

"_That_ was a fluke, wench. A lucky one, but a _total_ fluke."

Chuckling, she was about to take another sip of tea when she remembered something. "I saw your little girl on campus again. And no, I didn't speak to her, but you're right… she's _creepy_."

Inuyasha sat up very straight, his grip tightening on her hand. "Before or after the break-in?"

"Before… last evening." Kagome stared at him in confusion.

"_Shit_. That means Naraku _was_ involved in the theft. I thought he wasn't, because the bastard is too savvy to get caught with fakes, but if she was there acting as point... I _don't _like this. Something's off, and it's too damn close..."

"Too close to what?"

Inuyasha gave her a direct look before using her trapped hand to pull her close enough for a kiss. "To you."

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The vigilante didn't stay that night. After interrogating the now anxious young woman on anything she knew about the stolen items, Inuyasha headed out. It certainly didn't help Kagome's nerves when he warned her that he wouldn't be back for a while, but 'not to worry'.

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It was five long nights before he came back.

Despite severe temptation, Kagome refused to use the phone number since she was unable to compose a message that _didn't_ sound desperate if the rest of the Pack should hear it. Instead, the girl compulsively read the daily newspapers and used the campus internet to check up on recent gang activity. There was a surprising lack of news; usually there were references to fights and break-ins, but over the course of the week there was nothing but brief updates on the police progress on existing cases. _Calm before the storm?_ Kagome shuddered and squashed the unwelcome thought.

For five days, her mind wandered incessantly as she doodled circles crowned by small furry Shiba ears in the margins of her notes. Five days where she managed to annoy her lecturers, even the ever-tolerant Professor Nakamura, who had felt personally affronted by her abrupt exit right in the middle of her introduction to the visiting and highly superior Professor Kagewaki. _I was __sure__ that I saw Inuyasha, though! _She was rescued from her tortuous weekend vigil by Yuka, who overrode her reluctance to attend the cinema on Saturday by the simple expedient of paying for her ticket. Finally, on the following Monday night, the exhausted-looking man at the centre of her thoughts finally hauled himself into her room well after dark.

"Hey Kagome."

"Hey yourself." Kagome wound herself around him whilst Inuyasha inhaled deeply of her hair. "You know, you shouldn't do that," she commented. "Two people have recently informed me that I smell, and I'm not sure they were being complimentary."

He chuckled low in his throat. "Nah, you smell amazing as always. Just ignore 'em." Guiding her to a seat on the rug, he sprawled beside her and propped his chin on his fist.

"Any luck on whatever-it-was that you were doing?" she asked, twirling the black cording decorating the edge of his trailing sleeve around her fingers.

"None. I can't find _any_ reason why Naraku would hit your university. From what we know, none of the pieces should have registered on his radar, even if he thought they _were_ genuine." Inuyasha raked his claws through his hair in tired frustration. "Plus, he's gone to ground and no-one knows where he is; all gang activity has gone dead quiet and it's unnerving the hell out of me."

"But surely that's good? Less fights, less death, less people complaining about you in the press?" Kagome ventured.

"I wondered how long it would be until you noticed our sterling reputation," he said, giving her a wry look. "But yeah, it would be, if it didn't feel like he's planning something big. There's something more sinister than usual about this. Even Sesshomaru isn't sure what Naraku has up his sleeve… and _that's_ freaking me out. Sess _always_ knows." Kagome pulled a face, trying to ignore the unsettled sensation in her stomach. Inuyasha reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers as he searched her expression. "I did find out something else, though. Are you feeling brave?"

The young woman considered her internal equilibrium for a moment before nodding. "Yes… I guess. What is it?"

"Your shrine was hit by some of Naraku's freaks."

"It _can't_ be! I told you… he wasn't even _in_ Tokyo then!" she protested, panicking at the very idea that the Spider could be in any way interested in her family.

Inuyasha grimaced even as he soothingly rubbed his thumb over hers. "The shrine was attacked about four years ago, right? _Five_ years ago there were a lot of rumours flying around the criminal underworld about the resurfacing of a legendary artefact that possessed incredible powers; those rumours started a fire under Naraku's ass, and the results weren't pretty. A year later, he sent some of his pets scouting around Tokyo, which is when your home was targeted."

"But _why_?"

"That's the ten-billion-yen question, wench. We had no clue as to why he'd come to Tokyo at all, but he obviously wanted something specifically from _your_ shrine because his goons came back over and over. When we went through the police reports the first time, we didn't realise that it was Naraku's gang who had committed the hits; it was the weapon imprints that gave them away this time around, because I knew what I was looking for."

Kagome gave the dog-eared man a strange look. _How on earth did __he__ get hold of the official police reports? Did he wear a disguise? _

Inuyasha sighed heavily and asked, "Did the shrine have any unusual artefacts that might be of interest to a power-hungry madman?"

She shrugged. "We had plenty of 'unusual' stuff… like that _kappa_ hand I mentioned earlier… but I can't think of _anything_ off the top of my head. However, he must've found what he was looking for because everything of value was stolen."

The vigilante pulled his hand free and drummed his fingers on the carpet before flopping onto his back and contemplating the ceiling. "Maybe. I just have a _really_ bad feeling there's even more to this, especially because of your resemblance to… er, have you seen Kanna since last week?"

"Kanna?"

"Creepy-as-fuck Albino kid with the mirror."

"No, I haven't."

"_Good_."

"Inuyasha… who do I resemble?" Kagome asked quietly. _That's two odd references to the way I look; one from Kanna and now one from Inuyasha! __There's something going on that no-one's telling me about, and it's __really__ starting to worry me._

Inuyasha froze. "No-one you'd know."

Kagome frowned at the odd tone in his voice, but before the young woman could question him, Inuyasha fluidly rolled up onto his haunches and stroked her cheek, his golden eyes gone dark and smoky. "It's midnight and you have classes tomorrow, so…." Lightly running his fingers down her throat to rest at the top button of her shirt, he murmured, "Can I persuade you to come to bed?"

Distracted, her pulse speeding up, she asked, "You'll stay tonight?"

"With the gang activity practically non-existent, not even Sess can complain where I sleep. That is, of course, if I'm invited," he rumbled in that tone which weakened her knees.

As a little thrill went through her, Kagome leaned forward for a kiss. "Of _course_ you're invited," she whispered against his lips.

She let out a startled squeak as he in one motion picked her up and carefully tossed her onto the bed. Dropping his clothes on the rug, he pounced, and her unanswered questions ended up being the _very_ last thing on her mind.

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	6. Unforeseen Gifts

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. They just wandered in here by mistake and I'm refusing to let them leave until the story is finished.

**Acknowledgements: **Thanks to my beta, the ever-patient Fenikkusuken, who is probably going to start beating me over the head with a frying pan for every time I use 'the medical student' without just cause ;).

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It was the sense of movement that roused Kagome partially out of sleep. Murmuring a protest, she tightened her arm over the solid warmth beneath her cheek, and the exit strategy of her full body pillow halted. Strong fingers wrapped gently around her wrist, trying to lift her hand away. Displeased, the girl hooked her leg over a muscled thigh instead. A rueful chuckle rumbled under her ear as the hand gripping her arm slid up and over her shoulder to delicately stoke her back.

"Kagome, I have to go," Inuyasha said softly.

"_Uh-uhnnn_," she mumbled, nuzzling her face into tender, warmly masculine skin and snuggling closer. She felt his cheek rub against her hair.

"Kagome…." The vigilante's tone was regretful as he firmly disentangled her clinging limbs and sat up.

Stirring with a discontented grumble, the girl forced her eyes open in the slowly lightening room. "Inuyasha?"

"I have to go," the man repeated, swinging his feet onto the floor. "It's nearly dawn."

"No it's not. It's still dark," the girl argued. "You should stay here."

"You have classes today, and you need your sleep," the vigilante tried hopefully.

"It's Tuesday. No classes until after lunch. We could have a lie-in," she replied, attempting to hook him back into bed. Inuyasha sighed, and with a visible effort stood up and moved out of range. The girl leant up on one elbow to watch him. The thin curtains did nothing to stop the dawn rays creeping into the room. Unknowingly silhouetted against the window, his long silver hair glowed around him like a shimmering aura, the dips and hollows of his naked body an artist's pattern inked in shadow. He looked positively ethereal and otherworldly, like a creature of legend brought to life.

_I feel so ordinary… _Suddenly vulnerable and a little awkward, the girl pushed her tangled hair behind her ears. The vigilante's ears flicked slightly as his eyes tracked the movement of her hands, taking in her dishevelled and less-than-perfect appearance. Kagome's fingers tightened on the edge of the blanket as he opened his mouth to speak.

"You have no idea how hard it is to leave you," was Inuyasha's wistful comment as he picked up his clothes.

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"So, how was your morning?" Ayumi asked, as she and Kagome strolled through the main Hongo campus towards the canteen area.

"Not bad. I didn't have any classes this morning so it's a good catch up time. I sewed up an entire set of notes." Kagome replied, smiling. "Can't wait for lunch now; I'm starving!"

"If I had a morning off, I'd spend it in bed," the law student retorted. Kagome flushed, remembering making that exact offer to Inuyasha. Easily catching her embarrassment, Ayumi slanted her companion a thoughtful look, and added casually, "_Especially_ if I had someone to share it with. Are you still with your mystery gang-related enforcer?"

Kagome winced. _I was wondering when she'd say something. _"Yes, I'm still with him, but he isn't an 'enforcer'. You're making him sound like a thug."

There was a pregnant pause.

"You know I'm really worried, right?" The words were quiet and serious. "This isn't child's play, Kagome. Anyone who gets involved in any way with the gangs or anyone related to them is in danger. You should _know_ that from all the reading you did last term. Not to mention the more recent events."

"I _do_ know."

Ayumi deliberately fixed her eyes on a point in the middle distance, away from Kagome. "I can't ask you for any answers, because as a student member of the Law Society under the official Code of Conduct I have to report any evidence which may lead to the capture of known fugitives, or risk forfeiting my right to practice law at a later date. _Any_ kind of violent fugitive with a current arrest warrant. You know, gang members, _vigilantes_…"

_Oh. Damn. _"I don't know what you mean," Kagome flinched as her voice cracked tellingly.

Ayumi grimaced. Perfectly mimicking a certain wolf prince's voice, she drawled, "_If you're into Youkai, I'm a much better bet_." The law student held up her hand as she heard her companion draw in a sharp breath with intent to counter. "_Don't_ say anything, Kagome, please. I'm not even looking at you because I don't want to see anything that will make me have to take action. After all, currently this is all supposition, and I'm grimly hanging onto plausible deniability here for both of our sakes." The girl paused, picking her words as carefully as if in a courtroom. "I want you to know that if you're determined on this – presently unspecified - course of action, I'm here for you. Just… be careful. _Please_. And if this starts to… impact negatively on you at all, I'm calling the police myself. I _swear_."

Kagome fought a wave of anger at the threatened interference. _Why does everyone think it's their place to make these decisions for me on what's too dangerous and what isn't? First Inuyasha tried, now Ayumi! It's my choice! _"Do whatever you feel you must," she snapped.

They continued walking in uncomfortable silence. As they passed the Administration Building, Ayumi tentatively asked, "Do you mind if we go into the post room before we eat? I know you said you were starving, but I'm waiting for a letter from the bank about my overdraft."

Kagome nodded shortly, still irritated at her companion. The girls veered into the main doorway and down the corridor to third door on the left. Once inside the small room, the young women headed for their respective pigeon holes. Kagome picked up the bundle of papers. Turning the flyers and envelopes over in her hands, the girl flicked through them. _No sign of Grandpa's promised 'Survival Pack', _she noted in disappointment. _What else… local shop opening, lecture venue change for Thursday, invitation to the end of term black tie faculty dinner, last week's marked essay…_ _Taisho Foundation?_ The girl stared at the distinctive crest for a second, before ripping open the envelope. The letter was short and to the point, and the shocked young woman ended up sitting on her backside on the floor.

"Are you OK? What happened?" Ayumi instantly crouched beside her. "Is it to do with… _him_?"

Kagome shook her head, too dazed to maintain her previous aloofness. "I won one of the sponsored places." Her voice was a thin wobble as she flapped the letter at the other girl. "The shortlist only went up a week ago. Most grants take _months_ to organise and decide."

Ayumi took the missive, briefly scanned it and whistled at the amount awarded. "_Holy hell_, Kagome! You could _buy_ somewhere to live in the centre of the Azabu Ward for that, rather than renting your tiny bedsit!"

"Do you think it's a mistake? That they've put too many zeros on it?" Kagome chewed her lip anxiously.

"Maybe, but it's been undersigned by Ryutaro Taisho himself, so it's legally binding. At least binding enough for it to go to court if you wanted to give him some really bad publicity, which is exactly _not_ what this bursary is for."

"Still, I think I might check. I'd feel really guilty if it is a mistake."

"You're just too honest, Kagome."

"Maybe, but there are some people I don't want to find myself on the wrong side of, and he's one of them."

Ayumi stood up, and offered a hand to the girl on the floor. After a moment's hesitation, Kagome took it and was pulled to her feet, then glanced sideways at her companion. Ayumi's usual composure was compromised by the set of her jaw and a slightly pinched look around her eyes. In a belated rush of understanding, Kagome suddenly realised what it had cost the trainee solicitor to bend her principles. _She's not reporting any of this, even though it goes against everything she's training for. She knew that I would be angry at her threat to involve the police, and yet she did it anyway because she cares about me. _Her irritation evaporated. Overwhelmed by affection, Kagome leant forward and gave her friend a quick hug.

"And you're another one of those I don't want to unnecessarily annoy. I'm glad you're on my side; thanks."

Ayumi hugged her back, the tension visibly seeping out of her expression. "Any time."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Mr Taisho is not able to take calls at the moment, Miss." The voice of the receptionist was brisk and business-like through the mobile. Ayumi sat across the lunch table, watching Kagome with interest as she munched on her rice balls.

"Could you at least check that the figure is correct, please?" the girl pleaded.

There was the clicking noise of a keyboard, and after a brief pause the Taishos' receptionist read out a number, and it definitely matched the amount noted on her letter. "Wow. So it's correct," Kagome muttered. Ayumi made a show of cheering silently, before mouthing the word 'details' at her flabbergasted friend. "Um… so how does this go forward?"

"I believe there will be an official grant ceremony and dinner at the university next week, where you will be presented with the award; the date is marked on both of the Taisho brothers' diaries."

"_Next week_? Not next term or even the next academic year?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"No. The Taisho Foundation wished to start immediately as a sign of good will instead of waiting. You will receive the money immediately; this will be the only year with this option. After this, all grants will be organised over the Autumn and awarded at the start of the academic year in April."

"Wow. Well, thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. Congratulations Miss Higurashi."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Ten minutes before the start of the afternoon class on immuno-deficiency, Kagome loitered uncertainly outside Professor Nakamura's office. After that embarrassing situation with Professor Kagewaki on Friday of the week before, the medical student was painfully aware that she'd not yet been forgiven. Professor Nakamura hadn't glanced at her once in yesterday's lectures, and she was dreading the afternoon's class in case of a continuing cold shoulder from her favourite staff member. _Still, I'm __sure__ he must have been the one who put my name down for the sponsorship programme, and I __do__ want to thank him. _Clutching the Taisho Foundation letter in one hand, Kagome knocked on the door. The hum of conversation died briefly.

"Come in!" Professor Nakamure called sharply.

The young woman slowly pushed the heavy door open and gulped when she saw the other occupant of the office… none other than Professor Kagewaki, the eminent man she'd inadvertently insulted.

"Good afternoon, Professors." Kagome immediately performed the most formal of bows.

"Hello, Miss Higurashi." Professor Nakamura stiffly replied, and the young woman's heart sank. "What can I do for you?"

"Apologies for my intrusion, but I wanted to thank you. I was selected for the sponsorship programme from the Taisho Foundation, and I thought you might have put my name forward…"

The professor looked confused, "I didn't, but I'm very pleased for you, Miss Higurashi. I know things have not been easy for you." His expression softened and he gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Professor!" Kagome smiled shyly, and bowed again.

"Congratulations, Miss Higurashi." Having momentarily forgotten the extra person in the room, Professor Kagewaki's deep voice made the young woman jump. "It's nice to see that you can stand still for more than a few seconds."

To hide her fluster, Kagome bowed deeply. "I'm _so_ sorry if I caused any offence, sir. I should have apologised immediately." She came out of her bow to be caught on the end of an intense stare from a pair of unusual, reddish-hued eyes. Kagewaki was young for a professor; there was no grey in his long black, wavy hair, currently swept back over his shoulders. His grey-blue suit provided a sharp colour contrast to his red pupils; Kagome briefly wondered if he dressed in that shade on purpose. _He's remarkably handsome, but something about him gives me the creeps. _

"None taken." His smooth voice for some reason sent chills up her spine. "I never could resist an attractive woman, especially one that looks like you." Professor Kagewaki held out his hand in the European fashion. After a bemused pause, she took it. He unexpectedly tightened his grip as the girl tried to pull away. Turning her hand over in his palm, he inspected the old calluses on her thumb, index and middle fingers. She tensed, his familiarity making her highly uncomfortable, but his expression remained bland. "You are an archer, Miss Higurashi?"

"A long time ago, Professor."

He gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Of _course_ it was."

Professor Nakamura frowned as he looked between the two of them. "I'm afraid that Miss Higurashi and I must leave you now, so if you would kindly release my student, we need to be off."

Kagewaki immediately let go of her hand. "Apologies, Nakamura. I suppose that I've become too accustomed to other social rules." His cold smile never reached his eyes. "This time, I must apologise to you, Miss Higurashi, for any offence I may have caused."

"None taken," the young woman muttered, edging away.

Professor Nakamura held the door open and ushered Kagome out in a rather protective manner, shooting Kagewaki a disapproving look. The medical professor cleared his throat as they walked towards the class room. "Miss Higurashi, are you all right?"

"Yes, sir."

"I apologise for Professor Kagewaki. He can be rather… intense." Professor Nakamura hesitated and added, "I'm not sure he's good company for an attractive young woman such as yourself."

"I have very little reason to visit an archaeology professor at the moment," the girl said diplomatically

The old man smiled in relief at her understanding. "I _am_ glad about the sponsorship, Miss Higurashi."

Kagome beamed back at him, happy that she had been forgiven for her earlier transgression. "So am I, sir."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was around eleven that night that Inuyasha reappeared. Kagome stood in her tiny kitchen, wearing nothing but a towel as she made a cup of jasmine tea. She let out a startled yelp as red-clad arms wrapped around her and the silver-haired man buried his face in the shower-dampened skin of her neck and breathed deeply. Instantly relaxing, she turned around in his arms and kissed him softly on the lips. "Good evening."

Tucking a lock of wet hair behind her ear, he nuzzled her cheek. "You need to put on some clothes," he muttered.

"How come?" Kagome asked mischievously. "Usually you're trying to take them off!"

"Flying visit." At his tight expression, the girl dropped the levity and scrambled into her clothing. Less than five minutes later, Kagome leant against the kitchen counter sipping her tea as the vigilante paced around her flat. "We spent the day undercover trying to get information on why the Spider's gang had gone into lockdown, and what did we find? Nothing. Fucking _nothing_," he snarled in frustration.

Kagome had gone vaguely cross-eyed at the mental image of the highly recognisable Youkai Pack in disguise. After an amusing set of visions of Inuyasha with a fake moustache and a half-naked Kouga in a policeman's outfit, the girl tuned back into the man's irate monologue. _Yesterday he was pleased that nothing was happening so he could spend time with me. Something's changed. What's triggered it?_

"Every lead hit a brick wall, apart from one idiot babbling on about Naraku getting his greatest wish, which gives me so many flashbacks it's not funny," Inuyasha continued furiously.

_That's__ different, but it doesn't explain anything._

"Everything's going to go balls-up… I _know _it! Damn it all to the eighth fucking hell!"

_That's it; he's gone from venting to winding himself up. _"Inuyasha, sit down!" Kagome ordered.

The vigilante immediately obeyed, dropping onto the bare floor where he stood instead of moving to the carpet. Baring his fangs, he growled, "I fucking _hate_ it. I'm so fucking _stressed_ right now because I don't know what Naraku's up to."

"Maybe he's regrouping and planning his next move?" she offered.

Inuyasha's mouth twisted. "Not fucking likely. He doesn't move until he has everything sorted out."

"Why are you so wound up?" the girl asked.

He clenched his fists. "Naraku's last known activity was breaking into _your_ university after you talked to Kanna, and _now_ there's a comment about Naraku and _wishes_!"

_So his fear has to do with me… and he's __terrified__._ Kagome left her cup and knelt beside the agitated man, putting her arms around him. "It'll be OK."

He gave her a bleak look, and there was something behind it that made her blood run cold. "_No_. No, it _won't_. It's like a sick cosmic joke being replayed and I can't do anything to stop it."

She pried open his fist and tenderly wove her fingers with his."What do you mean? Has something like this happened before?"

The rage vanished as he looked down at their hands. "Yes."

When he remained silent, she cautiously voiced her suspicions. "I'm guessing that Naraku was involved somehow with your previous relationship… the one that ended badly?" _Bingo. _As Inuyasha gave a jerky nod, Kagome quietly asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"

The man hesitated, raking his free hand through his hair. "I _want_ to but… I can't. Not yet; I need to straighten out a few things first. I _will _tell you at some point, just not right now, OK?"

The girl nodded, before another thought occurred to her. "Does Naraku know we're involved?" As Inuyasha shook his head, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Then why would I be in danger?" she wanted to know.

"If he saw you, you'd _definitely_ appeal to him," Inuyasha said grimly. "Trust me on this one."

_Kanna pretty much said the same thing. Urg. _Highly uncomfortable with her thoughts, Kagome changed the subject. "So how come this is a flying visit?"

He drummed his claws on the floor. "I'm not coming here for a while; at least, not until we have some answers. I'm worried it'll lead Naraku to you."

"But…"

"No buts. I'm not going to let you get hurt because of me," he stated flatly. "I couldn't bear it."

Kagome's lips tightened. "Fine. But will you agree to text me every couple of days to tell me you're alive?"

"I promise."

Squeezing his hand, the girl said wistfully, "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm not exactly enthused about the situation myself, wench," he huffed, before something sharp flickered in his expression for a split-second. "By the way, did anything happen today? Any more interesting letters?"

_If I tell him about Kagewaki being super creepy, he'll freak. Letters? Oh! _Kagome smiled brightly to cover her shiver. "I won one of the Taisho sponsorships! I found out today."

"Thank the gods it came through. It'll let you move out of this damn neighbourhood and into somewhere safe. I hate the thought of you living here."

"I'll have you know I quite _like_ the unusual visitors in this neighbourhood," she replied primly.

The corners of his mouth finally twitched into an unwilling smile. "I'm sure you'll have just as many _unusual_ ones in a new place."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

After lectures the next day, Kagome headed over to the Administration Office with intentions of checking her post. Her pigeon hole was disappointingly empty. _I was __sure__ that Grandpa's parcel would be here by now!_ The young woman surveyed the unattended counter and rang the small brass bell.

"Yes?" A moustached face wearing a harried smile popped around the corner of a pile of boxes.

"Excuse me, sir," Kagome bobbed her head politely, "but I'm waiting for a parcel from my Grandfather. It was due several days ago, and would have been addressed to Miss Higurashi. I wondered if you had it in the back?"

The staff member shook his head. "We've already allocated the post that arrived today. If it's not in your pigeon hole, it's not here."

"Ah, well, thank you anyway."

He tapped his chin. "Wait, miss… your accent is Kanto, but by any chance do you have family on Okinawa?"

"Yes," the girl warily replied. "Why?"

"We have a parcel in the back that's post-marked Okinawa, but the writing is so bad we've been unable to work out the address. There was a notice on the bulletin board…"

"Oh! That might be it!" the young woman exclaimed.

"Give me a second…" Disappearing behind a set of overflowing shelves, the staff member rummaged for a few minutes before he re-emerged with a large, badly wrapped box. Kagome barely stifled a giggle. _That's from Grandpa for sure! _Not only was the address written with traditional brush-and-ink, which had smudged everywhere, but the parcel was absolutely _covered_ in protective sutras that managed to obscure the readable parts.

_No wonder they couldn't figure out who it was for!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

That night, Kagome sat cross legged on her favourite dog-adorned rug and used her trusty medical scissors to hack through what looked like seventeen layers of brown packing tape. She finally laid bare the cardboard box and opened it with a mixture of glee and trepidation.

The parcel was filled with what Grandfather considered 'essentials'. There were sutras to ward off evil spirits, rice paper and ink to create her own protective sutras, a small wooden fan, and a collection of small pots filled with mysterious ointments. _At least it doesn't smell too bad!_ Kagome smiled affectionately, easily picturing the old man's expression as he diligently packed the box, while petting the upright paw of a bright yellow, pot-bellied lucky cat figurine.

At the very bottom was a small jewellery case. Unsure of what to expect and wary of the inevitable desiccated animal part, the young woman was shocked to find an exquisite pink pearl suspended on a fine gold chain nestled amongst the cotton wool. Inside the lid was a folded-up note in Grandfather's crabbed, inky script.

"_My dearest Granddaughter. I intended to save this for your 21__st__ birthday in a few weeks, but the omens advised that it was portentous to return it now. You are again its keeper; guard it well. Higurashi."_

Confused, the young woman read over the note several times. _But I've never owned this before…_ _I'd certainly remember something this unique!_ After an internal debate, she fastened the chain around her neck, the large pearl cool against her skin. _It feels oddly familiar; maybe I had this as a child?_ While fruitlessly searching her memories for any previous encounters with the jewel, Kagome sorted and tidied away the rest of the items. The sutras, papers and ink, plus the fan, went into drawers while the dubious-smelling ointments were put back in the box and tucked under the sink.

The only other item she left out was the Maneki Neko. Popping the friendly-looking cat on the window sill, Kagome couldn't wait to see a certain canine-like vigilante's face when he was confronted by a fat, waving yellow feline.

_Maybe I should call it Buyo?_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


	7. Disquieting Encounters

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the assorted characters associated with the franchise. I just borrow them every now and then, and I _always_ clean them up before I hand them back.

**Acknowledgements**: Thanks as always to my beta, the lovely Fenikkusuken. You're so fab!

**A/N**: Many thanks to Doggieearlover and Ai Kisugi, and to KittyKaiya for the respective Nominations and Seconding for the Q4 IY Fanguild Awards. There may have been a certain amount of squeeing around the house when the nominations list went up. I'm really glad you like the story!

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

_Burning pain… her skin was slashed with cold fire. _

_Kagome shivered, the air colder and colder as her life's blood seeped into her clothing and dripped onto the grass. Stopping wasn't an option. The threat of failure bowed her shoulders as she staggered on the path, her heart cracking with every step. _

"_Just this one last task… need to protect them," she chanted under her breath, urging her unwilling body to obey. _

_At her side, her sister sobbed silently, blood leaking like tears from under the makeshift bandage hiding a vicious wound that both knew time wouldn't heal. With agonised steps, the young woman stumbled towards the Goshinboku, tracking the path of the escaping youkai. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she drew her bow, nerveless fingers sliding on smooth wood slippery with her blood. Arms shaking, Kagome prayed she could hold onto her strength long enough to finish the mission at hand. Finally, the bowstring pulled taut. Focussing down the shaft with blurring vision, she aimed the metal point at a whirlwind of silver and red at the base of the Sacred Tree. _

"_Inuyasha… how could you betray me?" The whisper slipped past her lips before she could stop it._

_Beloved golden eyes widened as he spun to face her, the accursed necklace clutched in his fist. His guilty look stole the air from her lungs and her most precious dreams shattered into a thousand pieces. Anguish ripped through the very fibre of her being, so bitter and deep it damaged the soul, far worse than the mortal wounds his claws had inflicted. _

"_Die, Inuyasha!" she managed to choke._

_And she let go of the arrow._

With a jolt, Kagome sat bolt upright in bed, her arms still outstretched as she sighted into the darkness. Her breathing was ragged, her heart pounding wildly as she reached over her shoulder to check the wound gouged into her back. Sliding past the warm metal of the necklace and the soft material of her tee-shirt, her questing fingers touched smooth, unmarked skin. _It was just a dream… thank goodness! It felt so real! _The young woman wiped the sweat off her brow and shuddered before lying back down on the bed. The details of the nightmare were already fading, but the sense of familiarity was unnerving. _I must have been thinking of the story about the Shikon Jewel from the book. _Running her hand over the empty sheets beside her, she smiled sourly. "That's what I get for going to bed wishing Inuyasha was here," she mumbled quietly. "Dreaming about his legendary namesake instead wasn't what I expected!"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The next morning, Kagome dropped into the post room before her 9am lecture. There was only one new piece of mail in her pigeonhole; a request to go and see the Dean at lunchtime. The girl turned the note over in her hands, wryly aware that no-one was ever invited to his office for a social call.

_And there I was, thinking the Taisho scholarship was supposed to make my life easier!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Mr Yamada, Mr Tanaka and Miss Higurashi, I'd like to congratulate you as the first recipients of this prestigious award. Your dedication to your studies and your determination to persevere despite difficult odds made you stand out above the other worthy candidates."

Kagome carefully balanced the cup of black tea in her hands as the Dean stood next to his mahogany desk. The young woman vaguely knew the other two students sitting on the sofa beside her. Tanaka studied Fine Art and was currently fidgeting uncomfortably, and Kagome had seen Yamada in the Science Buildings but didn't know much more about him. _What does he study?_ _Computing, maybe? Or Engineering?_

The Dean ran a hand through his thinning grey hair. "I didn't think my discussions with the Taishos would have such a dramatic effect so quickly. They must be desperate for you to get the money!" He smiled expectantly at the three of them.

"Thank you, sir," Kagome replied formally. "We're all very honoured."

"We have been asked to supply more information about the three of you for the press' benefit… with your permission, of course. Tomorrow, we would like to take an official photograph for the University, and a journalist from the _Tokyo Times_ has requested a few minutes with all of you afterwards. The photo and the interview notes will be used next Thursday when the award is officially made. Is that acceptable?" All three students nodded with the enthusiasm of the condemned on a hanging day. The Dean blithely continued, "I've also put an announcement onto the board by the Administration Building, because I think that everyone should be able to congratulate you on your achievement. I hope that you don't mind?"

Tanaka groaned under his breath. "Welcome to Hell, my friends."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was six hours later, and a frustrated Kagome gently pushed away the old book and its yellowed pages. As Tanaka had predicted, the afternoon had turned into something of a not-so-subtle feeding frenzy once her fellow students had noticed the Dean's award announcement. Kagome had already fielded seventeen questions on the award itself, thirteen on the Taishos, and ducked five requests for an introduction to one or the other of the famous siblings. The last straw had been the delivery by an aloof graduate student of an invitation for tea from Professor Kagewaki. The young woman had smiled graciously and binned the envelope as soon as possible.

In an attempt to hide for a few hours, the girl had taken refuge in the Katei Collection of the General Library after her afternoon class, on the correct assumption that browsing Edo-era fiction would be an unlikely activity for a medical student. _It might also give me a bit more information on the Shikon Jewel legend, since some of the books reference the earlier Warring States Era. _She also admitted to being somewhatoff balance from her disturbing dream of the previous night, and hoped to satisfy her curiosity.

As it turned out, Kagome was half-right. No-one discovered her refuge, but the young woman also remained unenlightened. Apart from the book Inuyasha had given her, the legend of the Shikon Jewel didn't seem to exist. Pulling the next book towards her without enthusiasm and dispiritedly skimming through the index, she noticed a reference to 'Mythical Sengoku Artefacts', and immediately turned to the relevant section. The girl's eyes widened in surprise.

"… As with other items of power such as the Shikon Jewel, the Blood Coral Crystal (otherwise known as the Barrier Sphere) provided an interesting dichotomy. Due to their intrinsic power, these artefacts' auras were detectable over a wide area, which increased the risk of discovery. However, they had an inbuilt ability to disorientate opposing senses. Any searchers who lacked the necessary training or natural spiritually-attuned powers were easily able to identify the approximate vicinity of the Shikon Jewel or the Barrier Sphere, but were completely unable to pinpoint the location closer than a _ri. _Furthermore, attempts to narrow the search based on working out the furthest edges of the aura and working inwards would result in confusion, headaches and ultimately failure…"

The rest of the paragraph was unrelated to the Shikon Jewel, discussing the Barrier Sphere and the mystery of its disappearance, before going on to describe several mythical weapons. _Oh well. I'll ask Grandpa, because if there's an obscure legend, he's bound to know about it. _With a sigh, Kagome faced up to the fact that she was now procrastinating as opposed to doing anything productive_. _Gathering her resolve, the girl packed her bags and put the books back in their respective places on the shelves, removing the location cards put there in for just this purpose. _I'm heading home; most people have gone now anyway._

Picking up her rucksack, the girl headed out, pondering the information she'd just read. _The 'lost' Barrier Sphere, guarded at one time by Ogre-Bat Youkai… I wonder what happened to it? And for that matter, what about the real Shikon Jewel?_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Sitting cross-legged on her favourite rug late that night, jasmine tea in one hand and Inuyasha's book in the other, Kagome found the answer to the second question.

"…_the Shikon Jewel was burned with the Priestess Kikyo's body after her untimely and violent death; no remnant of it was ever found." _

The former shrine resident gave a small, rueful smile. _I have to admit that I __had__ thought that there were too many parallels for the current situation to be purely coincidental, like the Youkai Pack, Naraku and the 'powerful artefact' that Inuyasha is convinced my family had. The Shikon Jewel's destruction lays that theory to rest. _

Yawning, she put the book down and climbed into bed.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

_Kagome looked down over the edge of the small, flat-bottomed boat into the tranquil waters of the lake. _

_Her customarily solemn reflection stared back, the heavy fringe of black hair falling over her eyes. Still, there was a slight sparkle in her gaze that shouldn't have been there, and a tiny, contented tilt to the corner of her mouth. For a woman who was technically consorting with the enemy, she looked… happy. Holding her long white sleeve out of the way, she dipped her fingers into the water, dispersing the traitorous image into a myriad of orange-hued ripples._

_Inuyasha sat opposite her on the boat, his customary cocky expression softened into watchful affection. His ears twitched as the dragonflies buzzed in the cooling evening air. This could never be, not a Priestess and a Hanyou. They both knew that, and yet… a wealth of unspoken words wrapped lovingly around both of them. Her hand twitched, longing to touch him, and tell him she understood, but both knew it would be deeply improper. The Hanyou noticed the slight movement, and smiled that rare smile he kept only for her. For a second she forgot to breathe, so intense was the feeling of being cherished and wanted._

_They reached the quay that led back to the village and to the responsibilities she couldn't ignore. Inuyasha jumped out first, his red fire-rat fur blending into the sunset. His movement rocked the small vessel, and as Kagome climbed out, holding her ever-present bow in one hand, she lost her balance and stumbled. In a flash strong arms were holding her steady. His cheek was against her hair, the smell that was uniquely Inuyasha in her nostrils. She leaned into him, treasuring the forbidden contact, and wishing beyond all reason this could last forever._

_She felt his voice rumble before she heard the soft whisper. "I'll become human for you."_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Kagome awoke to darkness, the vivid images burned into her mind, still feeling his arms around her. "The Inuyasha of legend _again, _damn it! Why can't I just dream of _my_ Inuyasha?" she muttered discontentedly, before rolling over to go back to sleep, the solid weight of the pearl bouncing along her collarbone.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Kagome, hold still!"

It was mid-morning on Friday, and the young woman yelped as a mascara wand poked her in the eye "Eri, is this really necessary?" she demanded as tears dribbled down her cheek.

Her fashionable friend grinned impishly and dabbed at the moisture. "Absolutely. You're being photographed for posterity, and I can guarantee that your image will be _everywhere_ after the award ceremony next week. Now, stop blinking like a near-sighted bat so I can finish!"

"I only asked if I could borrow an outfit."

"Not true. You asked if I could help you 'not look like a complete mess'," the socialite corrected, expertly wielding a pair of eyelash curlers. "And I agreed. I have my standards you know."

Yuka sat curled up on the tiny sofa, her long silver earrings catching the light as she laughed at Kagome's disgruntled expression. "At least it's something different from our usual routine, especially considering the _Tokyo Times_ journalist will be there as well. I wish we could come along."

Kagome offered Yuka an apologetic smile, which caused Eri to mutter dire threats as she applied eye shadow. "You know that I would invite both of you if I could. The Dean was worried that opening it to the public, or even publicising the location, would cause a mob to show up just in case the Taishos might be there, which of course they're _not_. He hasn't even told the staff where the pictures will be taken. Plus, I'm missing Dr Murato's lectures this morning to attend this civilised form of torture, so I have to go to the library to play catch up after Professor Nakamura's class this afternoon."

Yuka gave her friend a sympathetic look while shaking out her long, flowing skirt. "Well, I should really be working on my dissertation paper this weekend, so I'll come along and keep you company. We can be miserable on a Friday night together."

"Thanks Yuka, you're the best," Kagome replied gratefully.

Before the geography student could answer, Eri stepped back and looked her victim up and down with an appraising air. "Not bad, if I do say so myself. What do you think?"

Kagome jumped up with an expression of relief that made her audience chortle and stepped in front of the full length mirror. Tilting her head this way and that, before turning around and peering over her shoulder to admire the fit of the borrowed clothes, her face lit up. "That's _brilliant_, Eri! Thank you!"

The language student smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. "No problem. That's a beautiful pendant, by the way. It's the reason why I picked out that blouse for you, because I thought the similar shade of pink would nicely frame it."

Still looking at her reflection, Kagome nodded. "The pearl _does_ look really terrific with this shirt; good call, Eri. Grandfather sent me an early… and tasteful… birthday present."

"Really? That's _very_ unlike him. Are you sure it doesn't contain a magical dead toad, or the spirit of some long-dead magician?" Eri teased, winking at Yuka.

"Maybe that's why it appears to swirl," the other girl suggested helpfully. "Think of all that magical energy trying to escape, coming to eat your head in the night…"

Both young women laughed, and ducked the pillows tossed their way.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Clutching an armful of books, Kagome hurried across the main Hongo campus, anxiously checking the tower clock. Her afternoon classes with Professor Nakamura started on the Shirokane campus in a few minutes, but the interview with the journalist had taken longer than she thought. _I hope I won't be overly late! _As she rushed down the side of the Humanities Faculty Building, a babble of voices grew audible.

"Tahashi said that when _they_ came round, her Professor called her over from the other side of the Quad, and that _he_ smiled after her when she left."

"_That_ doesn't mean anything."

"Depends whether or not she encouraged _him_ after that.… It could have been a favour for a favour, if you know what I mean…"

"I'd do it for free! They're _both_ gorgeous…"

Kagome rounded the corner to see several of her fellow students standing by the Administration announcement board, and more specifically, directly under the memo announcing the winners of the Taisho sponsorships. Rapid nudges telegraphed her appearance through the group and they fell silent, everyone refusing to meet her eyes. _What on earth…? Oh._ Understanding and a strong sense of anger flooded through the young woman. Flushing scarlet, she proudly raised her chin and sailed past the group without a glance.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The afternoon sun slanted across the pavement as Kagome headed towards the General Library after her class ended. The young woman winced as she considered the reading list Hojo had helpfully handed over from the morning's lectures. _Dr Murato really piled on the reading!_ _It's going to take all weekend just to get through this, never mind the assignment! At least I have Yuka for company. I hope she's not waiting outside as I'm already fifteen minutes late…. _

Walking through the Third Building's atrium, Kagome spotted a group of students approaching on an accidental intercept course, and her mood plummeted even further. _If I have to answer one more 'humorous' question on my supposed attractiveness to the Taishos, I'm going to __scream__! _Glancing around, the medical student detoured into a deserted corridor and waited until the group continued on past. _Dodged! _The girl grinned victoriously... until the sound of a door opening made her groan in anticipation of another set of innuendo-laden comments.

"Ah… Miss Higurashi, where have you been hiding? Didn't you get my invitation?" The resonant voice was both unexpected and highly unwelcome. _Damn it! Trust it to be the man I've been trying to avoid all week..._ Kagome arranged her face into a polite smile and turned around.

"Good afternoon, Professor Kagewaki."

The professor's gaze crawled all over her like a living thing. Kagome shuddered in visceral response, her necklace glittering with the movement. Kagewaki's face went slack, his mouth moving soundlessly, red eyes burning with some indefinable emotion. Instinctively, the young woman went very still as a feeling of palpable menace filled the empty corridor.

"_Where_ did you get that, girl?" he hissed.

"Sir?" Kagome involuntarily stepped back, everything inside her screaming _Run! Run __Now__!_

"_That," _he ground out, jabbing his finger towards her chest. The young woman's hand went to her throat, covering the swirling pendant.

"My grandfather gave it to me…"

Kagome felt like she was suffocating in the deadly silence surrounding them, black shapes flickering at the edges of her vision. The Professor's face contorted unnaturally, and the student began shaking with uncontrollable fear as cold sweat beaded on her skin.

"It's been a while since I've seen that expression on your lovely face, Priestess." Kagewaki's mouth twisted into a vicious smile as they locked eyes. He moved closer to the frightened young woman, boldly running his finger down her cheek before burying his hand in her hair. Jerking her head back, he pressed up against her body, and she could feel his breath on her skin, the slightly fetid smell making her feel nauseous. His other hand slithered over the curves of her chest and clamped over her fist, still protectively clutching the pendant. Sharp nails dug into her hand as he whispered almost sensuously, "I'll take that now," but with dire threat.

Wrapped up in the moment, both predator and prey were oblivious to the approaching footsteps, and neither heard the voice calling her name growing louder and louder.

"Kagome! Where _are_ you… _oh_!" Yuka stood at the end of the corridor, evidently mortified at the tableau. The Professor instantly released his hold on his victim as Kagome threw Yuka a look of desperate appeal. Catching the silent plea, the newcomer added with nervous politeness, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but the Dean's office has requested Miss Higurashi's immediate presence."

"I'm afraid that Miss Higurashi and I aren't finished… _speaking._" The professor's voice was chillingly smooth and very, very dangerous. Yuka glanced over her shoulder. All three could clearly hear the clattering approach of more potential witnesses.

"Yes, we're _done_." Kagome's throat was almost too dry to speak, but she still managed to pour her anger into those three words. Rage flickered over the professor's face, and his hands flexed as if he intended to seize her again, but Kagome took several rapid steps backwards, each one faster than the last. Yuka moved forward to protectively slip her arm around her friend's shoulders, making it clear that the encounter was over. Kagewaki's face slipped back into an impassive mask, casually flipping out a mobile phone as the two girls escaped out into the atrium.

"I was wondering where you were… you _did_ want rescuing, right?" Yuka asked, checking to make sure Kagewaki hadn't followed.

Kagome smiled weakly. "I did, thank you."

Utter fury washed over Yuka's usually gentle face. "You _know_ that's sexual assault, right? He had you pinned with his hand on your chest!"

The young woman burst into tears on her friend's shoulder.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Despondently leaning her elbows on Yuka's kitchen table as she did her best to concentrate on her pancreatic system notes, Kagome found she couldn't stop thinking about the afternoon's events… and how much she wished that a certain vigilante was nearby.

After what was now being called 'The Incident', Yuka had hustled a teary and reluctant Kagome straight to the Dean. Knowing that the now-frightened medical student would be in the limelight for at least another week, the Dean had acted with unexpected alacrity. He had promised that Professor Kagewaki would be banned from campus until her complaint had been investigated, and told Kagome that if she needed any time off from classes, he would clear it with her tutors. Emerging from his office, the geography student had informed Kagome she was staying at her apartment that night and had bundled her off the campus.

Yuka was making them both a cup of tea, a mobile phone propped between her chin and shoulder as she gave an update to an obviously upset Ayumi. Kagome glanced over as she caught her name.

"…Kagome's doing OK… no, don't come back! You've had this weekend planned for ages, and you have to go to your fathers' fiftieth birthday celebration tomorrow!" There was a pause as Yuka handed Kagome a cup, still on the phone. "Kagome's staying here tonight, and Eri's coming over in half an hour with some spare clothes and a film for us to watch. We'll look after her…. Kagewaki? He's been barred from University grounds with immediate effect… I know, we were surprised, too. Apparently he was furious.…"

The other girl stared morosely into her cup as the conversation continued over her head. _I really need to talk to Inuyasha._ _I hope he's all right… I __want__ to see him._ When her phone unexpectedly beeped, she eagerly picked it up and could hardly contain her excitement when a small envelope flashed on the screen. The message was terse and to the point.

"_Still searching. Got nothing. Don't forget me, wench." _

The girl smiled in relief. _Not likely!_

"Who was it?" Yuka asked, still on the phone.

"Someone that Ayumi officially doesn't want to know anything about," Kagome replied with an almost-cheeky grin as she heard the law student's tinny squawk.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

For the third night in a row, Kagome woke up gasping for breath. The pre-dawn sky was lightening beyond the curtains of Yuka's small apartment, but it was still far too early to be awake. As her heartbeat slowed, the remnants of the dream swirled into indistinct, eddying colours dominated by red, silver and pink. _That's __it__… I really need to stop thinking about this or I'll be a basket-case!_ the girl resolved, before pulling the blankets over her head and going back to sleep for a few hours.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


	8. Exacerbating Situations

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the assorted, characters or plots.

**Acknowledgements**: Many thanks as always to my beta Fenikkusuken, and congratulations on finishing _The Price_!

**Kudos to**: Snowfall for working out what would happen next...

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Wake up, Sleepyhead!" Yuka's cheerful voice pulled Kagome out of her latest bout of fragmented sleep.

"Good morning," she muttered in response, cracking opening her eyes to Yuka's smile, her back aching slightly from the hard sofa.

"I've made breakfast…." The geography student's face fell at Kagome's tired expression. "What's up?"

"I didn't sleep well… I kept waking up with bad dreams after dawn. Not about Kagewaki," she added hastily as Yuka's face turned sympathetic, "but about injuries on patients I couldn't treat. There was one… a burns victim…just covered head to foot in bandages…." Kagome's voice trailed off before she rubbed her forehead tiredly.

"They say dreams are your subconscious trying to tell you something," Yuka suggested.

"Like what?"

The girl shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe it's a metaphor about not keeping the truth under wraps… or bandages?"

Kagome played with the pendant around her neck as she tried to remember the dream in more detail. _We were in a small, dark room. No… it was a cave._ _The patient… he __reeked__ of evil. His eyes were all over me…. _Kagome made a soft noise as a few details slotted into place. _It was_ _just__ like Kagewaki! He called me Priestess, too, and he wanted something, exactly like the Professor!_ _Maybe it's a reflection of how I see Kagewaki: he and the patient seem to be one and the same._ Kagome frowned. _I was wearing those robes from the other dreams again, too. I wonder what the significance of that is? _

Yuka broke into her thoughts. "Why don't we have breakfast? You can grab a shower because Eri's coming back over. I don't think any of us are in the mood to study right now, and she mentioned about going to a museum…."

"A museum could be a nice change," Kagome answered. At Yuka's surprised look, the young woman added with a wry smile, "I seem to have developed a _very _personal interest in history lately."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Before the trio left the house, Kagome took off the present from her Grandfather that had brought her so much unwelcome attention. Sliding the necklace into a secure pocket on the borrowed skirt, she mentally thanked Yuka for the change of clothes. _It may be just a pendant, but I'm feeling spooked enough right now to do anything to make myself feel better!_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was lunchtime, and the three girls were in the standing in the steampunk-esque Main Hall of the Ghibli Museum. A robot moved slowly in time with an intricate light show, whilst a number of short animations flickered on screens behind the electronic performer.

"What do you think?" Eri asked in admiration.

"When you said a museum, I wasn't expecting this," Kagome replied, amused. "I was expecting swords, jewellery, paintings…." _Mythical items_ she added silently. "How did you manage to get last minute tickets for the Ghibli Museum anyway? Especially a morning slot? I thought they were booked out _weeks_ in advance."

"I have my connections," Eri said smugly, winking, "not to mention a cousin who works in Lawson's Convenience Stores. I thought you probably needed something fun to take your mind off of things."

Kagome smiled warmly, "I did, and I do. Thanks, Eri."

Yuka broke in. "Who's up for a picnic in Inokashira Park when we finish?"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was fairly late in the afternoon by the time the girls left Mitaka, and later still that they returned to Yuka's.

"I should go home," Kagome said regretfully as she picked up her rucksack with her folders and reading. "I want to get my thoughts in order and phone Sha. I need to hear his voice and I'd be embarrassed if I had an audience." _Not to mention I'd have no idea __how__ to phrase a message on the Pack answering machine if you were both listening in!_

"We promise to plug our ears. Why not stay another night?" Yuka offered. "The sofa's not going anywhere, and it's gone seven."

"I do appreciate everything, but want to get back. Thanks though."

Eri picked up her coat and noisily jangled her keys. "In that case, I'll give you a lift."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Pulling her car to a stop outside Kagome's building, Eri winced as the gears made an audible clunk. As the only private transportation available to the group, the Boneshaker was Eri's pride and joy, with every ride a gamble to see if it would reach the destination. Everyone who had been in the car had spent at least one evening parked on the side of the street, fiddling under the bonnet, and the bruises from the antiquated suspension were badges of pride. Kagome looked out of the window at the grubby, run-down tenement looming in the gathering dusk and pulled a face. _Home sweet home…_.

"Are you _sure_ you're alright? Do you want us to walk you up there?" Yuka asked from the backseat.

"No… I'll be fine. Thanks for everything."

"OK. But if you need anything, just phone."

"I will, I promise." Kagome assured them and climbed out. Shutting the door carefully behind her, the young woman waved at her friends. Eri waved back, and with a couple of painful grinding noises, the car trundled down the road.

The young woman shivered, the world abruptly feeling colder and more sinister without support. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all._ With a sigh, Kagome fished in her purse for her keys, pulling open the metal grille and the main door_. I wish we could go back to when no-one bothered to lock their doors. _Kagome crossed the lobby and headed up the stairs. As she reached the third floor, a feeling of subtle unease trickled slowly down her spine. Tightening her fingers around the straps of her bag, the girl continued up the next few flights to her floor, finally turning onto the corridor… and froze. Peering down the hallway, it was clear that her door was ajar.

Slowly, the girl moved towards her bedsit. Taking a firmer grip on her bag ready to swing at anything that came out of the room, she crept down the seemingly endless corridor, her quick breathing loud in her ears. Finally, the girl stood before the open door. There was no noise from inside. _That doesn't mean anything. Inuyasha can move like a ghost when he chooses._ She hesitated for a few more seconds before screwing up her courage. With a burst of determination, she pushed the door open and brought her bag up in front of her chest.

_No! Please no!_

Her apartment had been _desecrated_; there was no other word for it. Kagome stood appalled on the threshold, trying to take in the chaos. Her furniture had been shredded and her cupboards pulled open, their contents strewn on the floor. Textbooks were ripped up, their accompanying notes a jumbled jigsaw. Stepping carefully into the damage, the shocked young woman tried to process what had happened. Every single item in the room had been turned over and wilfully damaged. The feeling of violation was palpable, and the girl gritted her teeth, willing her eyes to stay dry. _It's just like the Sunset Shrine all over again._ The only consolation was the utter emptiness. _At least whoever did this didn't stick around._

Kagome leant against the wall, staring sightlessly at the glass fragments glittering amongst the debris mixed with the colourful shards of her new Maneko Neki. _They broke the window, too. _She blinked. _Wait, the glass is in here? Not outside? The remains of the figurine are in here, too, which means the window must have been smashed from the __outside__, and the only people capable of that are… _The girl picked her way through to the window frame to examine it. The five parallel gashes in the sill were clearly visible, and when she peered outside, there were more on outside facade of the building. Her stomach dropped. _Oh gods…_

Fumbling for her mobile, her hands shaking so hard that she almost dropped it, she also retrieved the scrap of paper with Inuyasha's landline number. Punching in the digits, Kagome tried to think of a clear message to leave, rehearsing several variations in her head. On the third ring, the phone picked up.

Who is this?" The voice was curt, male and _not_ recorded.

Shocked at the live response, the young woman stumbled over her words. "Um, hi. This is Kagome Higurashi... I was, er, expecting the answering machine…" she supplied awkwardly.

There was a brief pause, and the voice came back in a marginally friendlier tone. "Ah, Kagome. I've heard about you. What's up?"

"Can I speak to Inuyasha?" she quickly asked.

"He's not here right now," the voice replied. "Do you want to leave a message for him? And make it clean 'cause I'm not saying any mushy stuff."

"Ask him to contact me as soon as possible, _please_?" The girl's voice caught on a near-sob. "I _really_ need to see him right now."

"Sure." There was silence for a minute, but instead of the dial tone she expected, he asked cautiously, "Are you OK? Has something happened?"

"My apartment's been broken into, and _everything's _been destroyed. And…there's claw marks on the windowsill, which is four stories up with no access." Kagome took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "I'm sorry; I'm a bit off kilter at the moment. There's been a lot going on in the past two days."

He didn't hesitate. "I'm sending someone over to check it out until I can get hold of Inuyasha."

"I don't want to put anyone out…." Kagome protested.

"You're not." There was a shade of amusement in the voice. "I'd be a lot more put out if Inuyasha decides to break my face for doing nothing. They'll be over in less than ten minutes."

"Can I call the police?"

"No. Wait until we've checked it out, and don't move anything as it'll mess up any traces. Where do you live?"

After giving her address, the phone went dead. Kagome sighed and shoved the mobile back into her pocket. _I can't tidy up? _Looking around, the shambles was overwhelming, and the girl unwillingly recalled the scenes that were played out in the Sunset Shrine after every break-in. Her mother's sorrow as she surveyed the damage. Souta's horror, and later his injury. Her Grandfather's stoic façade hiding immense worry for them all. _It's not fair. First my family is hounded out of Tokyo, now this…_ Fighting back tears, Kagome slid down the wall to sit in a small ball, her arms wrapped around her legs as she leant her forehead on her knees.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was the undeniable sensation of another presence that roused the girl from her misery. Kagome let out a panicked squeak… until she recognized the fur-trimmed boots practically right in front of her nose. She tried to stand up too quickly, lost her balance, and almost landed face-first in a fur kilt, but the wearer hauled her upright before she thoroughly embarrassed herself. A pair of piercing blue eyes glinted down at her as his face split into a toothy grin. "Hello again, Beautiful."

Kagome relaxed enough at his friendly greeting to give the 'wolf youkai' a frazzled smile. "Hello, Kouga."

"Glad you recognise me. Mutt-face must've been singing my praises again." The vigilante paused, his expression turning grim. "It's a good thing you called." Tugging on her arm, he pulled her across the room towards the window. "There are so many things wrong here that I'm getting you out of here… _now_."

Stumbling in his grip, Kagome barely avoided the splinters of glass. "What's wrong?"

"Firstly, there's something _really_ powerful in this area which means trouble. Secondly, there were some _very _unpleasant freaks in this flat." Kouga's lip curled in disgust. "In fact, I'd guess they were here for while; at least a full day. You must have only just missed them…."

"How do you know_?_"

Kouga tapped his nose. "I just do."

"Can I pick up a few things before we go?" the girl asked. "I was told not to move anything until you came, so I didn't pack a bag."

Kouga hesitated, visibly weighing the risks before giving in to her desperate expression. "Damn, woman. Fine. Be quick." As she hunted for a jumper, Kouga commented, "Ya know, Beautiful, you're stunning, you have great instincts, and you're smart, too." He prodded one of her A-grade essays with his toe. "You _sure_ you wouldn't prefer me to Mutt-face?"

"Uh, I'm not… that is… " the girl stammered, and he chortled.

"Give me half a chance and I'm sure I can convince…" Kouga suddenly broke off. Kagome shuddered as a feeling of sheer _malevolence_ trickled down her skin. The wolf youkai started snarling viciously deep in the back of his throat, fangs bared, radiating menace. _Something's wrong. Something's __very__ wrong. _"_Shit_. Time's up, Beautiful." Lunging forward he grabbed her arm and effortlessly swung her onto his back. _It's getting closer…._ Kagome automatically wound her arms around his shoulders for support as the Kouga braced to run.

There was a crash as a green-clad object barrelled into the room through the broken window. A menacing figure crouched in front of the empty frame, surrounded by a swirl of long, lilac hair. His dead, emotionless eyes locked with hers, and Kagome's breath caught in sheer terror. Something else skittered along the floor; out of the corner of her eye, the girl caught a glimpse of a large insectoid creature with a curled scorpion's tail taking up position in front of the open door.

"_Goraishi!_" Throwing out an arm towards the intruders, Kouga shouted at the top of his lungs. Lightning sparked down his hands and flared towards the person in green, who dived out of the way. The walls shook as the arching stream of energy smashed into it, but his defensive move left an avenue of escape wide open. The wolf demon didn't hesitate, throwing himself – and the girl on his back - out of the window. Kagome closed her eyes as they plummeted towards the ground, her fingers white on Kouga's shoulders to stop from screaming. His grip tightened on her legs as they dropped, just before there was a stomach-lurching change in direction, and they were airborne again. With another effortless bound, they were racing across the roofs at incredible speed.

_I think… he might be even faster than Inuyasha! _

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"So what now?" Kagome asked her companion.

The pair of them were perched on the top of a skyscraper near the Roppongi District, scanning for signs of pursuit. Kouga had calmed down once he couldn't smell 'the two freaks' anymore, but Kagome hadn't commented on his apparent bloodhound-like scent abilities. _I think I'm in shock_ she thought wryly. Instead he had taken her on what he termed the 'scenic route' to their current location, which was both frenetic and spectacular. _Not as good as the Tokyo Tower, but then, I guess that was probably because of the company as much as the view._

"I'm taking you back to headquarters with me until Dog Shit shows up. I ain't touching this one with a ten-foot halberd until he's involved." Reaching into his waistband, Kouga pulled out a strip of cloth. "Sorry about this Beautiful, but Pack Rules… you need a blindfold."

"I am _not_ putting that on." Kagome distastefully eyed the offending item. "Who knows where it's been?"

"Can't take you if you don't, and I'm not leaving you alone… not with the attention you've had tonight," the wolf demon said cheerfully.

There was a silent battle of wills as the diminutive woman attempted to stare down the amused vigilante. Finally, the girl threw her arms in the air in exasperation. "_Fine!_"

Kouga's wolfish grin was the last thing she saw before he tied the blindfold over her eyes.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Barely recovered from the final set of stomach-lurching bounds before Kouga slid to a stop, Kagome felt the change in temperature as he carried her inside a building of some sort. The young woman started badly when what could only be described as raw power suddenly wrapped around her. Kouga rumbled softly, but the girl couldn't make out his words, nor understand the low, answering growl. Before she could ask, her companion was moving again. After a minute or two, a door with well-greased hinges was opened and he finally let down from his back. Kagome blinked in the light as the blindfold was ripped off with a flourish.

"Ta daaaa!"

The room was _enormous_, and reeked of money. Evidently a main reception room, it was beautifully decorated with plush Western-style furniture and traditional Japanese scrollwork on the walls. One wall was almost entirely glass, flooding the room with light and showcasing a view of a huge manicured garden stretching off into the surrounding woodland, with the Tokyo cityscape visible in the far distance. Dazedly pulling off her shoes, Kagome's feet sank into fresh, springy _tatami_ mats as she padded towards the window, detouring around a stack of floor cushions. As she caught a reflection of the room in the glass, the two dimensional view was itchingly familiar. _Where have I seen this before? This looks like something I saw in one of those celebrity magazines from my not-quite-stalking days… _

Three heavy wooden doors beckoned; the young woman glanced questioningly towards Kouga, who nodded from his position in front of the third one to watch her explorations. The first led to an opulent bathroom with marble surfaces, gold taps, a soaker tub large enough for an orgy, and the most amazing shower she'd ever seen. _Why are some of the showerheads positioned that low? Oh… er… my goodness._ Kagome backed out, her cheeks rather pink. The second door led to a frankly sensual and well-appointed bedroom, decked out in luxuriant shades of red and gold. Kagome gaped at the enormous Western-style four poster bed draped in scarlet silk… and then noticed the _mirrors_ on the ceiling. _It's like something out of a movie set._ Again, the room had an edge of familiarity that hovered tantalisingly out of reach. _I __know__ I've seen this before! But… wait, I know! It was that article on 'Houses of Tokyo's Most Eligible Bachelors'. But I can't remember who it belonged to…_ Flushing even brighter red, Kagome hastily retreated and turned towards the final door. Kouga's intense blue eyes twinkled at her curiosity, but he continued casually blocking the panel with his body.

"What's through there?"

"The rest of the house, Beautiful. You're not allowed out unless the Alpha says so," Kouga said. His tone was playful enough, but with a commanding edge.

"Who's the Alpha?"

Kouga scoffed lightly, "Whilst I'm flattered for the vote of confidence, do you _really_ think it's me, the kit or Mutt-Face?"

"Oh… you mean Sesshomaru, right?" _Was that the 'discussion' when we came in? _Kagome nodded slowly, then moved away to circle the airy room, examining the handsome furnishings and décor with great interest.

The wolf prince tracked her movements without stepping away from the door, giving every appearance of guarding the exit. "So, what do you think of the place?"

"It's amazing, but it feels like a show home," Kagome responded honestly. "There's no personal touches at all. No photos, no books… nothing. Instead, it seems like someone just gave instructions to an interior designer and this is the result. Plus," she added with some embarrassment, "the bedroom looks like a set for adult films."

"You're right… about the lack of personality rather than the pornography," he chuckled. "Don't think the owners would appreciate _those _sorts of activities happening in their house." The man's grin widened. "Like I said, you're too bright for Mutt-Face."

"How come you're basing yourself here?" she asked, examining a particularly lovely ink painting on the opposite wall.

"It doesn't belong to me, if that's what you're asking. We're here because it's safe. But I'll take you to _my_ place if that's what you'd like, Beautiful. I'd _love_ to have you in my den."

"Inuyasha'd have your hide, Kouga," a lighter male voice broke in. Spinning around, the girl watched a tall teenager shove the wolf youkai aside as he closed the entry door behind him; she had a brief glimpse of a grand hallway. Despite the cheery grin, the newcomer's green eyes were sharp below an unruly shock of bright red hair. Something like surprised recognition flashed over his face before he adopted a neutral expression.

"Shippo, I presume?" Kagome ventured with a tentative smile, bowing.

"The one and only at your service, Miss Higurashi." The teenager returned her greeting before glancing at Kouga. "His Lordship sends a heads up… something with a lot of power just arrived in the near vicinity. He's mapping the boundaries, then plans to work backwards and pinpoint the location. Considering how these things work, it's likely to be bloody impossible, and I'm _not_ looking forward to his mood afterwards."

"I know," the wolf complained. "It's been making my skin crawl for the last hour."

"You've been feeling it for an hour?" Shippo's eyebrows disappeared into his hair, and he stared intently at their guest. "Damn. This is gonna get _really_ complicated."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

By late evening, Kagome, Kouga and Shippo were all sprawled on the floor, propped up by cushions, chatting freely while playing cards. All formality had long since been discarded after Shippo had pelted Kouga with a handful of acorns for propositioning… for the third time in fifteen minutes… a highly mortified Kagome. The ensuing cushion fight had made Kagome laugh properly for the first time in the past twenty-four hours.

The young woman evaluated the cards in her hand, selecting one to discard. "So, Shippo, why did you decide to name yourself after the fox youkai? In the stories, wasn't he a young child? I mean, you have to be at least eighteen."

Shippo gave her a quick grin as he laid a card down and picked up another one. "It was sort of chosen for me and I'm older than I look." As Kagome shot him a sceptical look, he laughed. "I'm older than you, for a start."

"Oh, really?" she said dryly. "So the Youkai Pack is currently made up of you two, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, right?" At their combined nod, she added thoughtfully, "Then where's 'Kikyo'?"

"Why do you ask?" Shippo asked, studying his hand.

"Inuyasha called me 'Kikyo' when we first met," the young woman explained. "At the time, I guessed she was another member of your group that hadn't been spotted by the press, but not one of you has ever mentioned her."

Shippo and Kouga exchanged glances before the teenager carefully answered, "Kikyo was Inuyasha's lover. They were planning to marry, but she was murdered by Naraku."

"Oh gods." Kagome covered her mouth in horror, her skin erupting in goose bumps. _His ex really __was__ called Kikyo! Inuyasha said Naraku twisted their relationship… and that's __identical__ to the story in the book! _She sat up a little straighter as more details fell into place. _And then there are all the inhuman abilities; the running, the jumping, and the abnormally fast healing. _Glancing at her companions, who were watching her with almost predatory intensity, she swallowed hard._ Shippo claims he's older than me, but he looks the same age as Souta. Even Kouga…he runs at near subsonic speeds and I know he doesn't have anything extra on his legs but those boots… and… is his tail __wagging__? _Kagome felt a little faint. _This is becoming too much to be pure coincidence. _

"It was a long time ago," Shippo said softly, noting the way her eyes widened further. "You probably shouldn't mention it to Inuyasha, because it's a really sore subject."

"So what happens now?" she whispered.

"We wait for Mutt-Face. Unless, of course, you want to give up on him and run off with me instead," Kouga replied with a saucy wink.

He rapidly discovered that Kagome's accuracy with cushions was just as good as Shippo's with acorns.

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	9. Zeniths and Nadirs

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the assorted characters associated with the franchise.  
**Acknowledgements**: As always, a huge, huge thank you to Feni my beta, who keeps me on track especially when I get slightly embarrassed by being in the head of my primary character!  
**A****/N:** I discovered that the gremlins ate all my section breaks on all my previous chapters! I have fixed the issue, but if you started reading this story in the last two months, it would probably be a good idea to go back and skim read back over to get a proper sense of the flow. Apologies too, if you did - it must have looked very odd...  
**Thanks**: To the Feudal Association, and the 3rd Place Award for Drama Fiction!  
**Warnings**: There is a big, honking lemon in this chapter. With mirrors. It's fairly obvious where it starts, so if you do not want to read it, feel free to skip down a couple of pages.

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Half an hour after the ill-fated conversation over Kikyo, the main door was pushed open. Kagome looked up expectantly as it revealed an achingly familiar silver haired figure in red. Inuyasha smiled faintly when he saw the girl sprawled on the floor surrounded by other members of the Youkai Pack.

"Hey wench," he greeted softly.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scrambled up onto her feet, rushing towards him. At the last moment, the young woman remembered they were in company, and settled for a fragile smile instead. Concern flickered in the edges of his expression, before he ignored propriety and pulled her securely against his chest. Wrapping strong arms around her, Inuyasha tucked her head under his chin, creating as much physical contact as possible. Half hidden in the enveloping sleeves of his jacket and surrounded by the scent that was uniquely _him_, Kagome felt safe for the first time in several days. The rush of relief threatened to break the precarious dam of control on her battered feelings and a scratchy lump formed in the back of her throat. _I'm going to cry if I'm not careful. _The girl took a deep shuddering breath that caused the arms around her to tighten, one hand moving to comfortingly rub her back. A soft, animalistic growl rumbling in his chest instantly calmed her nerves.

After a minute or so, Kagome finally became aware of Shippo making retching noises in the background. _Oh gosh... we're intimately wrapped around each other in public! My mother would be horrified! _Flushing as scarlet as the hanyou's outfit, the girl leaned back, wordlessly asking for release. There was a fraction of a second where the man didn't move, before his arms slackened and he reluctantly allowed her withdrawal. The subtle byplay wasn't lost on their now-smirking audience.

Stepping backwards, Kagome clasped her hands together. "Um... Welcome back."

Ignoring her polite greeting, Inuyasha's mouth twisted. "What's going on, Kagome?"

After desperately wanting his company for the last twenty-four hours, the young woman found herself at a loss as to how to start._ He's going to explode if I just tell him everything straight off,_ she realised painfully._ I have to work out a way to explain the last few days without him going ballistic so that we can sort out what's been happening. _"Kouga brought me here," the girl prevaricated, mulling over her options.

The hanyou shot Kagome an unreadable look. "Well, yeah. I figured that one out myself considering you reek of the wolf, but that wasn't what I asked. I asked what's going on, because I don't understand _why_ he brought you or _why_ the Lord Mighty Ass is letting you stay considering there's something screeching with power nearby." Tilting his head, he studied the unfamiliar outfit, Yuka's floaty fabrics a little discordant with Kagome's usual style. The girl fidgeted under his intense scrutiny, his eyes tracking the nervous movements she attempted to hide. "When Sess said you were here, I'd already guessed something interesting must have happened, but... those aren't your clothes and you're hiding something. So tell me."

_So much for softening the blow! _Chewing on her lip, the girl admitted,"Someone broke into my flat yesterday, so I phoned the emergency number you left me."

Inuyasha went very still, before he reached forward and caught her hand. "Someone was _in_ your flat?" Kagome nodded hesitantly. "Someone was _in_ your flat _yesterday_?" His fingers tightened almost painfully. "Then why the hell didn't you phone _yesterday, _you idiot?"

"I stayed at Yuka's on Friday night, and only discovered it today," she replied, wincing at the barely restrained anger radiating from his lean frame._ Do I tell him about Kagewaki and why I stayed out now or later?_

Inuyasha noticed her tight expression and shifted to soothing her. "Ah, shit. Sorry... _dammit_!"

"Staying there would _definitely_ have been a bad idea," Kouga broke in. At the dog-eared man's sharp look, the other youkai made a face. "Juromaru and Kageromaru turned up in that crummy little flat she lives in. Surprised you let her stay there, really."

"They did _WHAT_?" Inuyasha snarled. Kagome started as his eyes started bleeding red around the edges, and faint purple stripes writhed into existence along his cheekbones. His claws pricked her hand which he still held. _That's no costume change!_

"Cool it, Dog Boy," Shippo advised, noticing Kagome's shocked face. "Don't freak on your lovely guest here."

Inuyasha made a guttural noise in the back of his throat, before he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, they were back to his usual amber, albeit tinged red around the iris. He nodded at the wolf prince to continue.

_I've seen this before... when Hojo asked me out. Inuyasha was angry... jealous I think. Is it when he's emotional?_ _Those definitely aren't contact lenses!_

"They came when we were there. It's why I brought her back here after we couldn't get hold of you," Kouga added with a shrug. "I didn't think you'd mind, considering."

Kagome frowned. "Wait, Juromaru and Kageromaru... the hulking man and the creepy scorpion-like creature? You _know_ them?"

"'Fraid so, Beautiful," Kouga answered, ignoring the irritated growl from Inuyasha at the pet name. "Two of Naraku's favourite goons. You don't want to know what they eat."

"Question is, was it random or were they after Kagome specifically?" Shippo asked pensively.

In response, Inuyasha growled reflexively, pulling Kagome hard against him. This time, her back was against his chest and he buried his face in her neck. The contact sent shivers down her body all the way to her toes. The mortified girl flushed yet again and stared at the floor as both Shippo and Kouga eyed her with amused tolerance. _Ack! Not that I don't like it, in fact I like it a lot, but I wish he'd stop doing that in company. I'm never going to be able to face either of these two again,_ _and it interferes with my ability to think!_ Kagome pulled herself out of the tight embrace despite the displeased rumble it earned her, and sat on the arm of one of the sofas instead.

_It's got to be random, but then... why was Kanna at my university? There's too much going on for me to just dismiss it, despite the fact that even the idea of Naraku terrifies me. _"Why would he be after me, if he was?" Kagome asked tentatively.

Shippo gave her a humourless smile. "Apart from the obvious?" At Kagome's look of confusion, he shrugged. "You know, the fact you look..." His voice was drowned out by Inuyasha's loud snarl. The hanyou was baring his fangs at the red-haired teen, his eyes again streaked with red. After a moment of surprise, Shippo snarled back, his tails puffing out behind him in a fan. Inuyasha's growls dropped in pitch, and Kagome shivered. _That sounds vicious!_ On the other side of the room, Kouga went very still and shook his head at her when Kagome opened her mouth, indicating she should stay silent.

Finally, the kitsune looked away, throwing his arms up in the air in a gesture of furious submission. "OK, OK, _fine_. _Don't_ tell her. It's your funeral, you fucking idiot."

"Who do I look like?" Kagome's determined voice cut clearly through the atmosphere. _That was an entire conversation that excluded me, and I have a horrible feeling that I know what it was about, namely that Inuyasha isn't telling me things that matter here. In fact, he's dodged that question before. _

"It's not my place to say, Kagome." Shippo muttered, still glaring daggers at Inuyasha.

_I was right. _"Inuyasha? Who do I look like?" the girl asked again firmly.

"A woman Naraku was obsessed with," Inuyasha answered after some hesitation. Kagome shuddered, seeing Kanna's comment about liking her face in a whole new light. Something was pricking at Kagome's memory about Naraku's obsession from the original story but she was too involved with the current situation to focus on it.

Kouga smacked his forehead with one hand. "Of course! That's why you looked familiar, Beautiful. So he's after you 'cause you look like her?"

Shippo rolled his eyes at the wolf prince. "Why would he go after you now, though? You said you saw Kanna a couple of weeks ago, and there's not been anything since then to trigger the break-in. Plus, from what Kouga said about the state of your flat, it looks like they were doing a search." He scratched his chin. "We're missing something."

"She said she wouldn't tell Naraku about me straight away," Kagome said in a small voice, avoiding Inuyasha's incredulous expression. _That's right. I didn't tell him about that part when I described meeting Kanna. I guess I can't be angry with him for not telling me everything. _"Maybe she finally told him?"

"That may be." Inuyasha's voice was flat. "But even so, this is the first activity from Naraku in weeks so it has to be of some significance."

"Look, Kagome, has anything unusual happened in the last couple of days?" the red head asked. "See anyone weird? Anything odd happen?"

Kagome's pulse sped up at the memory of Kagewaki's hands crawling over her skin. She jumped as three sets of eyes honed in on her. "You're scared," Inuyasha stated. It wasn't a question. "What have you just thought of?"

"I don't know if it's relevant, but... one of the tutors was a little... inappropriate yesterday," the girl admitted.

Shippo frowned. "This isn't a nice question, but what exactly happened at college? 'Cause I know that Tokyo U doesn't generally have 'inappropriate tutors'. Boring ones, but not inappropriate."

Kagome shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "One of the visiting professors has always been a bit creepy around me, so I generally avoid him. He cornered me yesterday." At Shippo's expectant expression, she elaborated, "He called me 'priestess', and tried to take the necklace I was wearing."

Shippo's eyes sharpened. "Necklace?"

"Er, yes. It's a new one my grandfather sent me as a present."

"Can you show us?"

With a feeling of dread, Kagome pulled the necklace from the zippered pocket on her skirt and held it out at arm's length. Glinting softly in the electric lights, it seemed to swirl inside with darker colours.

"And there we have it." Shippo's voice was quiet as his eyes travelled from the jewel to the girl and back. "Talk about déjà vu."

"Well, that explains the power surge that we've all been feeling," Kouga muttered.

"_Fuck,_" Inuyasha hissed. The canine vigilante had gone bone white, holding up a hand as if to ward off the jewel as he staggered backwards against the wall.

Kagome glanced nervously around the dumbfounded group. "It's just a pearl on a chain... isn't it?"

"It'sthe Shikon no Tama," Inuyasha ground out.

"As in the jewel from the story?"

"Where did you get it? _When_ did you get it? I'd have felt that bloody thing if you'd had it in the flat," Inuyasha snarled, ignoring her question.

"A couple of days ago, but it was in the Hongo campus post room for a week…"

"…which is next to the Administration offices, and the safe, right?" Shippo guessed. At her confirming nod, he added, "So now we know why he hit the University."

Inuyasha focused on Shippo's words with a frightening intensity, before fixing on Kagome. "You said your grandfather sent it, right?"

"Yes…"

"So it's likely your family has been in possession of it for a while," the man continued.

"Well, yes…" Kagome answered.

"And your shrine was broken into and searched _four times_ by Naraku's freaks before your family left three years back?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, a pit forming in the hollow of her stomach.

Directing his comments to the other two vigilantes, Inuyasha said pointedly, "Her family leave the city for Okinawa, none of his minions can find where the necklace has gone, and then Naraku turns up in person. We never could work out why he picked Tokyo."

There was a stunned silence. Shippo eventually broke it. "Damn, they've been after the jewel the whole time."

"But it's just a story!" the girl exclaimed. _At least I always thought it was, but then... I thought mythical creatures were stories too, and yet I can't believe they are all really human anymore either..._

"It's no story," Shippo stated grimly. "One more question. What's your professor called? He looks like our best lead into this."

"Kagewaki. Professor Hitomi Kagewaki."

The three exchanged horrified looks. Finally Kouga muttered "So that's where the bastard went. We need to tell Sesshomaru what we've discovered."

"What do you mean?" the girl asked nervously.

"Kagewaki. It's a favourite alias for Naraku himself," Inuyasha replied tightly.

_Kagewaki is Naraku? Why? What? _And abruptly, a wave of emotion flattened Kagome. It had been a long, tiring few days, from the pressure of the university award to Kagewaki, and there were too many uncomfortable thoughts swirling through her head. The girl sagged, weariness etched into her face. Without thinking, she fastened the chain back around her neck. "So what now?" she asked quietly.

"You'll need to stay here, at least for tonight," Inuyasha stated firmly.

"I need to sort out my flat, and what if the owners of this place come back?" Kagome protested.

"They won't mind, believe me," Kouga stated dryly, and Shippo coughed behind his hand to disguise a laugh.

"Kouga, Shippo… out. We'll talk tomorrow," Inuyasha ordered.

The kitsune pushed himself upright. "We'll update His Lordship and regroup tomorrow." He paused and nodded to the girl who had wobbled upright. "G'night Kagome. Been nice meeting you."

Kouga gave a dramatic sigh as he stood up to follow. "You're making a mistake staying with the Mutt here, Beautiful. Wouldn't you rather come with me?"

Inuyasha snarled viciously. "Touch her and die, Wolfshit."

Kouga laughed and waved, heading out after the already retreating Shippo. The room was suddenly a lot quieter. Her vigilante stalked to the huge sofa and dropped down, resting his head in his hands. "What a fucking mess."

The girl gaped at him in disbelief. "Forgive me, but I don't understand. My flat's been decimated, everyone's acting oddly, my life's taken an abrupt left turn, and _you're_ upset?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath as he registered Kagome's drawn face. He held out his hand, and after a few seconds of contemplation, the young woman took it. Wrapping his fingers around hers, he tugged her onto the seat of the sofa as well.

"Look, I don't often apologise, but I'm sorry, Kagome." Inuyasha ran a clawed hand through his hair, his cheeks still faintly shadowed by striping. "I know it's been a shit couple of days for you. It's just… that thing is cursed." He gestured to the jewel around her neck. "It fucked up someone I cared about, and I thought it was gone, but now it's back and I'm convinced it's going to screw everything over again."

The young woman softened at his obvious anxiety. Squeezing his hand, she said quietly, "Can you maybe explain things a bit more to me?"

"Like what?"

"Like how a necklace my grandfather gave me is a mythical artefact that isn't supposed to exist." Running her finger over his sharp claws, Kagome took a breath._ Here goes..._ "Like how you can jump buildings in a single bound, and why your eyes change colour to blue and red when you're wound up or threatened. How you heal so quickly. Why Kouga's tail wags. Why all of you communicate in growls and know things by smell. Your ears." She gave him a bleak smile. "I could go on."

Inuyasha went very still, his expression chillingly neutral. "What do you think?"

"I think... I think that despite everything I've been taught you really are all youkai, like your namesakes from the story of the original Shikon Jewel," she ventured cautiously.

"And?" The word was forced out.

"Is it true?"

There was a long, defensive pause. The room was silent and even the air seemed to be holding its breath. Finally, Inuyasha seemed to deflate. "Yeah, wench. It is. Although I'm really only a hanyou – not a full youkai."

"Oh," Kagome's eyes were wide as she searched his face for any sign of mockery or laughter and found none. Instead the man's jaw was locked as he waited for her reaction, his ears flat against his head and his hands balled into fists.

_He isn't human. None of them are. He really __isn't__ human. I should be horrified, but... I've known for a long time that I wasn't dealing with anyone 'normal'. And whilst he held back the truth, I can see why. After all, confessing to being a youkai has to be a death sentence in many places, if people don't assume you're insane. _She was vaguely aware of the hanyou watching intently as the emotions chased one another across her face. _He's still Inuyasha. It hasn't changed who he is. It hasn't changed the person who took me to the Tokyo Tower and promised himself to me. The person who makes me smile and makes me feel special... I guess I'll just have to take it as it comes and see what happens. _

"What exactly does it mean that you're hanyou?" Kagome asked quietly. "I know that you seem human apart from your abilities, but... what else do I need to know?"

The vigilante studied her thoughtful expression in disbelief. "That's it? I was expecting curses and demands to never come near you again, and you're asking for a youkai social and physiology lesson?"

"I'm not going to pretend that it isn't a shock to have it confirmed, but... you're still you." A small smile touched the corners of her mouth. "I accepted that you were different when we first became friends. I'm not going to take that back now. And I can understand why you didn't tell me. It's not exactly an easy thing to bring up," the girl replied slowly.

Inuyasha exhaled in a whoosh of relief, and an instant later Kagome found herself securely on his lap. The tender expression on his face made the girl forget all of her other questions, as well as the need for oxygen for a few seconds. He brushed a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. "We can talk about it, but not tonight. I just want to be with you. OK?"

"Do you have any other deep dark secrets I should know about, apart from being a mythical creature of legend?"

Inuyasha then shook his head. "None that should bother you."

"Then I won't ask any more questions now, as long as you tell me one thing."

"What it is?" he asked guardedly.

"What's your real name?"

The hanyou snorted in amusement. "It really is Inuyasha."

"Really really? You're really called 'dog demon'?"

"Yep."

Kagome giggled, opening the floodgates as the stress of the last week overwhelmed her and the laughter slid inexorably into sob; Inuyasha moved immediately to kiss her. The girl responded immediately to his warm mouth, opening soft lips in a submission that made the man shudder. His hands slid up her back, pressing her more firmly against him. Glorying in the contact, Kagome lost track of her own movements. Her tongue twined with his before exploring his mouth. A sudden, sharp pain caused her to pull back, blood in her mouth. _Ouch! His fangs are longer than usual!_

The hanyou watched her with dark, red tinted eyes, the sheer _want _in his expression making her waver between intense lust and a fearful need to run. His claws tightened around her waist, removing any chance of escape. Leaning forward, Inuyasha ran his tongue slowly over her lips, licking the small smear of red, his breath heated against her skin.

Inuyasha's eyes cleared slightly, and with a mild curse he lowered his head to rest against her shoulder. "We can't... I can't do anything tonight. There's too much going on and it's sending my instincts into overdrive," he muttered regretfully.

"What... what do you mean?"

Inuyasha grimaced. "I just... Naraku being near you, the jewel: everything feels out of control and it's making me crazy. I feel like I want to kill someone, or drag you off to bed to stake a claim. And I can't guarantee I'd be as… gentle as I should be. Or that I'd stop when we usually do," he paused to let the words sink in. "I want you, Kagome, gods, do I want you right now, but it's not fair on you. You should go to bed in the room and I'll sleep out here."

Kagome flushed as her mind conjured up vivid images in reaction to his words. Quietly she assessed the vigilante who had come to mean so much to her in the last few months. Screwing up her courage, she countered with, "What if I said I didn't mind?"

His closed his eyes briefly before shaking his head. "I'd say you were crazy, wench."

"I'm locked in a room in a place I don't know with a mythical youkai who fights crime and I don't really mind. I'm probably way beyond saving." The young woman gave him a rueful shrug.

"Are you _sure_?"

"Yes." However, there was a slight hesitation in that single word.

Inuyasha stood up and set her on her feet, his hands still on her waist. Kagome could feel the heat of his body even through her clothes. The vigilante tilted her chin with one finger to look her in the eye. "Last chance to back out. I mean it."

Mutely, she shook her head. He gave a chuckle somewhere between amusement and exasperation, before leading her across the room and into the huge bedroom. As they stood hand in hand just inside the doorway, inspecting the enormous bed draped with deep red silk sheets, he asked, "So, Kagome, whaddya think? Bed's a bit bigger than yours..."

She blushed heavily. "Are you sure we're not going to get in trouble from the owners?"

"Guarantee it."

Something in his voice was too assured. "Inuyasha... are _you_ the owner?"

"No." The hanyou paused, before adding, "My brother is."

She took a deep breath and nervously smiled, "Okay."

As if that released the last restraint Inuyasha had been clinging to, he kicked the door shut and pulled her body against his. Wild gold and red eyes glittered down. Kissing her hard, wrapping her hair around his fingers to keep her in place, he aggressively attacked her mouth. Caught fast in his grip, the young woman shivered at the long lines of his body and the barely-leashed power subtly implied.

His hands slid down her back to again fasten around her waist; Kagome found herself manoeuvred backwards across the room. Squeaking as the backs of her knees hit something solid, the young woman felt Inuyasha smile against her mouth, his fangs touching her lips briefly, before he let go. The girl fell onto the bed, reflexively burying her fingers in the slippery silk sheets as she peeked under her lashes at her vigilante.

He stood at the edge of the bed, his expression predatory, and she felt a thrill of adrenaline at the sight, inspiring her to scoot away to the centre of the huge bed. Inuyasha slowly loosened the ties of his jacket, dropping it on the floor. His shirt went next. Bare-chested, he prowled on his hands and knees towards her. His hair hung over his face, obscuring his expression and giving him a surprisingly menacing air.

Kagome's heart raced. "Inuyasha…?"

He pounced. There was not other word for it. He moved lightning fast, pinning her flat against the mattress, a hand on each of her wrists, his legs hooked over hers, but her complaint dried up at his intense expression. He let go with one hand to run his claws through her hair, spreading it out around her head in a dark halo.

"You have no idea how often I've imagined you here like this," he practically purred.

"L-like what?"

"Here. In this place. Mine."

Inuyasha took advantage of her surprise to kiss her, running his hands down her body. His questing fingers hit fabric, slicing through the impediments with his claws instead of removing them like a gentleman. Kagome retaliated by sliding her hands against his bare chest, tracing familiar hard muscles and smooth skin. Making an appreciative noise, he moved his thigh between her legs and pressed deliberately against her bundle of nerves. Inuyasha kissed and licked his way down her neck to her collarbone, and further yet to tease a nipple through her bra. She arched into him as he rolled it into a peak, tangling her fingers in his hair to hold him. Slicing through the offending lace and yanking it out of the way, he fastened his mouth over the naked peak, his hand palming and stroking her other breast into an equally hardened state. Kagome twisted under him, familiar with the sensations if not the wildness of his mood. Following the line of her skin, he kissed down her stomach, his hands resting on her hip bones, skirting over the edges of the soft curls at the apex of her thighs. _This_ was new and a world away from the playful sessions in her bed sit.

"Inuyasha…?"

"Trust me."

"I…" the young woman flushed and looked up. _Oh my…_ The forgotten mirrors reflected an unexpected, highly erotic image. Kagome stared wide-eyed at herself, naked apart from the jewel around her neck and Inuyasha between her legs, his silver hair cascading down his bare back and onto the sheets. Whimpering softly, Kagome watched her reflection slide long fingers into her partner's hair, stroking his ears, before the reflected Inuyasha lowered his head.

Kagome was yanked back to the present by his moist tongue caressing her most intimate parts. She gasped, tightening her grip on his hair, her hips undulating. He slid his hands up her thighs to hold her steady, licking and lightly nibbling on her bundle of nerves. Inuyasha made a noise that sounded like approval, but to Kagome everything was muffled apart from the sensations he was causing.

The young woman looked up again at the image of herself. Her skin flushed and her legs wantonly spread as Inuyasha's head moved slowly and sensuously between them until a knot of tension wound deep in her stomach. Carefully tucking his claws into his fist, Inuyasha began sliding one knuckle against her slick velvet flesh in time with his tongue. The combination had Kagome begging brokenly, before she bucked and shuddered in release.

Too dazed to move, she did notice that his half-smile held no small arrogance as he pulled off his trousers and knelt naked next to her on the bed. Running a hand down her body from her neck to her thighs, he smirked as she shivered from the sensation overload. He positioned himself between her legs, his tip nudging at her entrance. Kissing her hungrily, Inuyasha made Kagome blush when she tasted herself in his mouth, but it didn't stop her from wrapping her long slim legs up around his waist, the movement allowing him to slide deeply inside her.

They both went still for a moment as she winced, her body tight around his. Inuyasha paused until she relaxed slightly, before starting to slide slowly in and out in an incredibly arousing rhythm. Kagome's fingers flexed against his skin as she arched into him; to stop from moving too fast the man bit his lip hard, his claws digging into the bedding on either side of her head. Reaching up, she kissed him, tasting blood. Inuyasha's movements became urgent, more powerful, and she gasped, doing her best to match him stroke for stroke. His body slammed into her, jerking with release until he collapsed on top of her, panting hard for breath.

They lay entwined for a few minutes, his face pressed against her neck as Kagome's heartbeat returned to something vaguely normal. After a while, Inuyasha rolled over to lay on his back, pulling the girl with him so she lay sprawled across his body, her head on his shoulder. Kissing her forehead, he possessively wrapped his arms around her.

"'Yasha?" Kagome mumbled on the edge of sleep.

"Yeah?"

"Is Nar'ku really after me?"

"I'll protect you. Sleep now."

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It was still dark when Kagome woke up. Disorientated at being in a strange bed, the girl leant on one elbow and looked around. The window coverings weren't completely closed, and in the silver moonlight she drank in the sight of the broad lines of Inuyasha's shoulders as he lay sleeping beside her, the curve of his back, his hair a pale curtain trailing off the edge of the mattress. Memories of their earlier activities returned in glorious Technicolor. _He's mine. Every inch of him._ Kagome couldn't help her brilliant grin.

Her bladder took that moment to remind the young woman of why she'd woken up, and with a sigh she swung her legs off the bed. Aching in unmentionable places, she fought back a blush, but that didn't remove the smile on her face. As she stood upright, a very damp reminder of their intimate activities tickled the top of her thighs and made her panic._ Uh oh… this would be that one minute grace period Eri mentioned!_

Kagome hastily grabbed Inuyasha's long white undershirt and scampered through to the living room area. Faced with the two doors, she went for the left-hand one, but instead of the opulent bathroom she expected, she could just make out a landing covered with an intricately woven carpet and adorned by a wooden railing that appeared to be carved into a pattern of racing dragons. _Of course. Shippo and Kouga left it open when they left. _Kagome bit her lip, momentarily sidetracked, but Nature and gravity quickly reminded her to find the bathroom _now_ so she dove for the other door.

Several minutes later, relieved and refreshed, the open door beckoned. _There's no harm in having just a quick peek, surely? _Decision made, Kagome padded forward onto the soft hall carpet, and the dim moonlight gleamed through a number of skylights. There was a feeling of openness, and the girl realised that beyond the balustrade there was a huge empty space. _This corridor must loop around a large central hall. This isn't a house, it's a mansion._The girl tried to quell the uncomfortable suspicions in her head. _Why hasn't someone noticed that there are genuine youkai living here? Where __is__ this place? _

At the end of the corridor was a stained glass window that threw dull patterns over the floor below. Something about the rearing white animal holding pride of place in the centre of the design was familiar, and Kagome caught her breath as recognition struck. _I __know__ that image!_ _It looks just like my rug!_ Creeping towards it for a closer look, her attention was caught by several large paintings hung on the walls between impressively carved doors. Giant demonic animals dominated by dogs, landscapes, portraits; she could just about make out each one in the dim moonlight. Glancing at the last picture before reaching the window, she wheeled sharply around and let out a strangled gasp.

_It's... me...? _

Kagome's mouth fell open as she studied the picture more closely. _No, not quite me. But nearly...!_ The hair was straighter, the expression more knowing and reserved. In the painting, her twin wore medieval priestess garb, carried a bow in her hand and had a quiver across her back. But the face was eerily similar, as was the shape of her figure. Even the length of their long fingers was the same, and Kagome just knew that they had calluses in the same places. Around the neck of the priestess in the painting was _her_ pendant, identical down to the swirling patterns in the pink depths. Kagome stumbled back, utterly unnerved, Shippo's comment on déjà vu gaining new overtones. _No wonder Naraku called me priestess..._

"I gave orders that you were not to leave Inuyasha's rooms." The deep voice was soft and distinctly menacing in the darkness. "I do not like being disobeyed."

Kagome spun around, coming face to chest with figured white silk. Her eyes travelled up the tall, slender figure to an inhumanly lovely face with magenta cheek stripes, slanted yellow eyes and a blue crescent moon on his forehead framed by a long white hair. Despite the lack of expression in his eyes, the girl nearly buckled under the weight of the unspoken disapproval plus some other innate power that prickled all her senses. Fighting back an urge to kneel at his feet, Kagome edged backwards and respectfully bowed her head. "Sesshomaru… sir," she added, as addressing the man by his name alone felt deeply impolite.

The lordly being shallowly inclined his head in return. As his nostrils flared and the corners of his mouth turned down slightly, Kagome had a moment of pure mortification. _If they __are__ all youkai, he can probably smell exactly what I've been doing with his brother. _Flushing, she inspected the carpeting. The uncomfortable silence was broken by his small intake of breath. Peeking upwards, the girl noticed his eyes were fixed on her chest. The girl defensively raised her hand and realized that the jewel was significantly warmer than it should be from simply her skin temperature_._ Glancing down in surprise, she distractedly noted that her hand was glowing as well.

The man – _no, youkai_ – appeared even more disapproving, even though his expression remained impassive. "So, it is true. You bring danger to those that belong to me, Miss Higurashi," he rumbled. "I do not care for things of uncontrolled power in my household."

"I, er, apologise, sir."

He gave her a long, considering look. "You will return to Inuyasha immediately."

"Who is the woman in that painting?" The question slipped out before the girl could bite her tongue.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "I seem to have evaluated your intelligence more highly than you deserve."

_Of all the nerve...!_ Despite his intimidating presence, Kagome bristled. "I _could_ simply assume this is Kikyo and jump to conclusions from there, but I would like a confirmation, please." She could have sworn he almost smirked for a second, and the flash of similarity to Inuyasha made her heart jump before the impassive mask dropped back in place.

"You are correct, Miss Higurashi. That is Lady Kikyo, the original keeper of the Shikon Jewel."

Nodding, she went back to studying the painting. _I never expected the original Kikyo to be my mirror image. _Something unpleasant twisted in her stomach as her first encounters with Inuyasha gained a different subtext. _So that's why he called me Kikyo the night that I found him, and why he couldn't stop staring at me when he regained consciousness. _Something clicked in her memory.

"I dreamt of her…" Kagome breathed. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as she continued, "I saw her pin Inuyasha to the Goshinboku with an arrow through the heart. He'd offered to become human for her."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru appeared consider that one, before giving an infinitesimal nod. "My brother was in love with her, after all."

_That's what I had forgotten from the legend: Inuyasha and Kikyo were in love with each other. Wait, 'my brother'? _Realisation made her go cold. _I'm __such__ an idiot. His last relationship was 'destroyed by Naraku'. _Kagome began shivering. _The Pack aren't youkai using historical figures for a cover story, they __are__ the historical figures. _

The youkai lifted an aristocratic eyebrow. "It is time you returned."

Numbly bobbing her head, Kagome trailed back to the open door leading to Inuyasha's suite, Sesshomaru a silent shadow at her back. As she entered the lounge, Kagome turned and bowed again to the youkai. He inclined his head politely, and reached past her to pull the door closed with a soft 'click'. The girl dully realised he was taking no chances and had locked her in. Wandering over to the enormous sofa, she collapsed on it in an untidy heap, her aching head in her hands.

"_No, I don't know __you!__" he'd snarled when they'd argued over Hojo._

"_Kikyo was Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend. She was killed by Naraku."_

Before this evening, she'd thought she was OK with never seeing his face without his contacts or ears, and couldn't imagine him without them now. She was OK with him being a penniless vigilante doing what his conscience decided because she cared about him desperately... because she was the same, a penniless student who tried to follow her conscience which impelled her to help people. Until this evening, she had felt that underneath they were alike. She'd even had a few daydreams in the library about her supporting them both as she worked as a doctor.

Kagome bit back a sob, acknowledging the folly of her fantasies. _None of that was true. We're not the same at all. He's not going to settle into some flat with me somewhere, aging into obscurity with a few children and a pet. He's a hanyou, a mythical being. Even if he wanted to, he obviously can't: from what Sesshomaru said he must be at least five hundred years old and he still looks like he's in his mid-twenties. _The girl slumped further, brutally honest with herself. _I knew he was a hanyou when we... we slept together. I just didn't think about what it could mean... _

_The one thing he __did__ promise me was that there would never be anyone but me. But that wasn't wholly true. I'm identical to his ex-lover; he even called me her name. Who does he see when he looks at me? Does he really see me, Kagome Higurashi? Or does he see Kikyo in a different body? I saw through her eyes in my dreams even before this... from the point I got this pendant. What if I'm her reincarnation? What if that's why I lo... feel so strongly about Inuyasha? How real is this? How real are we?_ Kagome shook her head, trying to derail the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

_And then there's this place... it reeks of money. He's been playing house with me when my bedsit could fit into his personal bathroom. But then, I never asked__, __so technically he never lied, but it's still an omission. He knows so much about me and I know so little. _

_I feel so... lost. _

_Everything I thought I knew about Inuyasha and our relationship has been proven wrong this evening. _

Kagome wrapped one hand around the pendant, still glowing hot from her earlier encounter. _And let's not forget_ _that_ _I'm 'the keeper' of a powerful artefact and being chased by an insane, inhuman hanyou desperate for power. _

Her sense of trust slipped through her fingers like sand, a shaken and thoroughly miserable Kagome headed into the bathroom for a shower.

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"Hey sleepy head. How come you're out here?" A warm hand arrived on her cheek, and Kagome opened her eyes to see Inuyasha kneeling by the sofa. His expression was one she'd never seen before; open and unguarded with a soft smile. Automatically she smiled back, at least until her memory chose that point to kick back in. Feeling suddenly queasy, she turned her face away and sat up.

"Could you take me home please?" Her voice was quiet, withdrawn.

He pulled away, his eyebrows snapping together in a frown. "Why?"

Kagome hesitated, and then replied, "I need a little time to sort a few things out in my head."

"Huh?"

"I'll tell you if you answer me something."

"Anything."

Kagome looked him directly in the eye. "Last night… were you thinking of me or Kikyo?"

"_What?_" he spluttered, clearly shocked. "Where the fuck did _that_ come from?"

Kagome's gaze flicked towards the pair of identical panels. "I took the wrong door last night to the bathroom and ended up in the corridor with all the paintings. I saw the one of Kikyo." When Inuyasha flinched and looked away, apparently proving her suspicions, she whispered, "That's what I thought."

"No! Fuck that, Kagome! Don't put words in my mouth."

Despite her best intentions, Kagome let her disillusionment sharpen her tone. "Really? Then why did you come back that first time to my flat? I bet it wasn't because of my medical skills."

Inuyasha raked his claws through his hair in a now familiar gesture. "I'll admit I did come back the first couple of times out of curiosity, but pretty quickly you made it clear you were your own person, and I fell..."

"When were you going to tell me?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes, breathing hard. "Is there _ever_ a good time to mention something like that?"

"It definitely would have had a bearing on whether I agreed to sleep with you!" When he flushed, guilt written clearly across his face, Kagome sighed and closed her eyes. "Inuyasha... please. I care about you very much, but... I really need some space."

"No! Not with Naraku after you!" The stark horror in Inuyasha's voice gave her pause, but she was determined.

"_Please_," she said firmly. "I have your phone number. I'll even accept a Pack escort - from a distance. I swear I'll be careful. I just need some time to work this all out in my head."

"That necklace makes you an even bigger target, Kagome! I'd be signing your death warrant if I let you leave!" Inuyasha protested vehemently before he softly pleaded, "Please... I can't go through that again."

Kagome reached up, fumbling at the back of her neck until the chain fell open. The pendant bounced off her lap and tumbled against Inuyasha's chest. Instead of catching it, he only stared at the gem rocking on the mats next to his knees with something akin to disgust. She bent down and scooped it up, offering it to him again. When he shook his head and moved away, she set it on the nearby table instead. They both watched the pink ball spin in circles before coming to a stop. The irony of her handing over the Jewel wasn't lost on either of them. "Now there's only the fact that I look like Kikyo that's a problem."

"I don't want the damned jewel. I want _you_, Kagome – safe and unharmed. Let me protect you, _please_."

"I know, but I want to go home," she insisted.

Eventually he gave a jerky nod and stood up. "Fine."

"I'm sorry."

He paused as her whispered words reached him, but his entire body tensed before he stalked across the room, yanked open the door and disappeared down the corridor.

Ten minutes later, a subdued Shippo appeared with a yukata and a roll of bills to replace Yuka's ruined clothing. He shrugged at her protests, shoving both into her hands.

"Inuyasha insisted, now go and get changed." At her blank look, the kitsune added dryly, "You're still only wearing his shirt." He gave a ghost of his former grin as she squeaked and flew into the bathroom.

Ten minutes after that, Shippo escorted her through the huge house to a huge garage, bundling her into one of the myriad of cars and bidding her a quiet farewell. Kagome glanced dully at her human-looking chauffeur as he wordlessly handed her a blindfold, willing to bet he was anything but. Their drive back to the Ueno district happened in silence, the girl staring unseeing out of the window even after the blindfold was removed, unaware of the concerned glances from her black haired escort.

Her dilapidated tenement block appeared too soon. Kagome climbed out of the car, unsurprised when the driver accompanied her back up to her flat. He helped her to straighten what was left of the furniture and fittings with surprising speed; she had a distinct feeling that he was also inventorying her meagre possessions, but he excused himself before she could question him, wearing an oddly familiar smile. Still, the damage to the walls and the broken window couldn't be hidden, and her notes were still a jumbled mess, albeit in one pile.

After he left, her bedsit had never felt emptier or her life less secure. Kagome curled up in a ball on the edge of the narrow bed, her head on her knees.

_Inuyasha..._

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	10. Vacillations and Conversations

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the assorted characters.

**Acknowledgements**: Many thanks to the wonderful Fenikkusuken, who hasn't given up on me yet despite my tendency to pull a vanishing act when real life takes me away from the world of fanfic. How terribly selfish ;).

**A/N: **I'd made a promise to myself that I'd never apologise for not updating since this story is written for fun and I knew there would be delays at points. But if I _hadn't_ made that promise, then this would be just the place I'd in apologise for not finishing this chapter for far too long. Just sayin'.

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It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, heralding a long early summer day. Curled into a ball on her narrow bed, a distressed Kagome ignored the promise of the weather as she tried to sort through the painful snarl of her conflicting emotions, relying on the chauffeur's self-assured promise to keep her safe for the next few hours.

_So Higurashi, what now? You finally have the truth you wanted. The man you care about isn't human and is hundreds of years old. Not exactly what you expected to hear._ _You should have thought about that a little more before throwing yourself at him. It's not like shock is an unknown thing to you, and you should have realised you were off-kilter with everything that happened. _The girl self-reproachfully wiped the angry tears away.

_I don't want to regret it, but... I'm the reincarnation of his ex-lover, which makes things more complicated than I could have imagined, because I can't be sure if it's me he cares about, or... her. And what if the way I feel is because of how __she__ felt and I don't have a choice? And then, added to everything, I somehow acquired a genuine magical artefact that draws trouble like nothing else, and I get the feeling that leaving it with Inuyasha was just a short term fix and it'll end up back with me eventually. _

The young woman massaged her aching temples with the tips of her fingers. _I'm reminded of the Chinese curse, 'may you live in interesting times'. I don't know what to do. The thought of losing him feels like ripping a part of my insides out, but then, what will my life be like with someone who doesn't age, and can't experience life __with__ me, just alongside? How do we really feel about each other? Can I stay with someone who offers a life I've never dreamed of, for better and worse? _

The front door creaked before any conclusion was in sight; the girl looked up in alarm.

"Kagome? The door was open and I..." The smartly-dressed young woman trailed off, horrified at the remnants of the earlier devastation. Despite the tidying, the bedsit still bore the echoes of the hurricane: the pile of destroyed furniture in one corner, the gaping, broken window, the vicious slashes in the wall and the untidy pile of papers from the ruined folders.

Kagome reached for a tissue and blew her nose. "Ayumi? What're you doing here? You're supposed to be at home for your father's birthday."

"The party was last night. I was worried about you after the Kagewaki Incident, and so I caught an early train back this morning with my parents' blessing." Ayumi again surveyed the room in dismay. "What on earth happened here?"

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed as she sat upright, Kagome shrugged despondently. "Some people broke in here on Friday night when I was staying at Yuka's. I didn't discover it until yesterday."

Ayumi anxiously surveyed her friend. "This hasn't been your weekend, has it? First Kagewaki assaults you, and now this." The girl sat down beside Kagome and slid an arm around her. "_Please_ don't tell me you were here all night. You'll give Yuka - and me - heart attacks."

"No. I stayed... somewhere else. I only got back an hour ago."

"Good. No-one should have to stay in this. They even damaged your beautiful rug," Ayumi comfortingly squeezed her arm as new tears trickled down her friend's cheeks. "Have you called the police yet?" When Kagome silently shook her head, Ayumi pulled out her mobile. "We need to call them then."

"I was going to call them yesterday, but..." _I don't know if I can take their questions now. What if they ask about the Youkai Pack? Should I lie to the police? _"I mean, it's just a break-in. The police won't be able to do anything,"

Ayumi shot her a disbelieving look, "I may not be a detective, but when did thieves start using animal-style claws to break into impoverished student bedsits?"

Kagome hesitated, before admitting quietly, "They don't."

The trainee solicitor tightly hugged her friend. "I made a promise to you, remember? I said I would look the other way on your relationship until it started impacting badly on you. I'd say this was pretty bad."

"But I don't know if calling the police is the right thing to do, Ayumi. They hate the Pack as much as they hate The Spider, and I don't want to do anything to make their situation worse."

Ayumi winced as Kagome openly mentioned the Pack, "From what I know of them, I'm sure the Youkai Pack can cope with the police looking into this. Don't get so wrapped up in a gang mentality that you can't go to the people and organisations that are there to help you. You're not a criminal, so stop acting like one."

Kagome leant her head on her friend's shoulder, her words muffled by Ayumi's shirt. "I don't want to betray him." _I may not know what I want, but I know I don't want that._

Soothingly patting her hair, Ayumi assured, "You're not. Unless he was the one who broke into your flat and trashed it, of course, and in that case, we're sorting out a restraining order and afterwards I'm going to beat him to death with a frying pan."

Kagome's watery giggle was music to Ayumi's ears, before the girl slowly reached for her mobile.

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It took a half an hour for the police to arrive, and another hour all told for them to fully case the bedsit. Kagome and Ayumi sat in one corner out of the way, drinking jasmine tea whilst the two investigators walked carefully around her flat, one taking notes whilst the other took photos. Neither young woman missed how they diligently examined the claw marks and the stress fractures on the window frame, before talking to each other in low, worried voices. At one point Kagome made out the words 'Shinagawa' and winced at their likely suspicion of Juromaru and Kageromaru's involvement in that now-infamous bloody massacre.

The police wouldn't answer any of the girls' queries. Instead they asked Kagome a number of questions about people she'd met recently and about anyone she'd seen hanging about. Kagome answered as much as she could, although she deliberately omitted any mention of the Youkai Pack, and didn't mention seeing the two intruders in her flat the day before. _After all, how could I tell them that neither were human? They'd commit me!_ They asked where she had been on Saturday, and flushing scarlet, she confessed to staying at her boyfriend's house. Ayumi's eyebrows had shot up, but to Kagome's eternal gratitude, her friend didn't comment, either on that or her omissions.

Finally, the officers insisted that Kagome shouldn't stay at her flat for the immediate future. They agreed to let her to take clothes and her university work from the crime scene, and whilst they waited for the girls' lift to arrive, they nailed a sheet of plywood up against the empty window frame before they left.

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"Kagome, are you sure you don't need more than this?" Eri asked as she carried a cardboard box down the tenement's stairs.

The girl shook her head, carrying another box in her own arms. "If I'm only staying for a week or so, all I need are some clothes, books and notes." Pulling a face, she added, "Besides, as you saw, pretty much everything else was wrecked."

As the girls reached the Boneshaker, Eri put her box down on the pavement, and with an air of a well practiced ritual inserted the key on the lock, jiggled it vigorously and then hit the door precisely one foot to the left of the handle with the heel of her hand. The boot popped open, and the girl started stacking the meagre sum of Kagome's possessions in the compartment.

"It makes sense, Eri. After all, Kagome's staying with me until that grant comes through, and I've got cooking equipment, a TV and everything else we might need already," Yuka observed as she put the pile of Kagome's medical notes into the car. "Apart from one thing: can we borrow the inflatable mattress? My sofa's not going to be great for more than one night."

"Of course, you don't even need to ask. After I drop you all off at Yuka's, I'll head back and grab the mattress so it's ready for tonight," Eri offered.

Ayumi arrived at the car last. Kagome noted with surprise that the trainee solicitor was carefully carrying the demonic dog-adorned rug, despite not having been asked. Ayumi gave her a slight smile in answer to the unasked question. "I know that it's been damaged, but it's too nice to leave." The other girls nodded in agreement, and with some careful manoeuvring it was fitted into the boot. "I'm sure we can arrange to get it cleaned somewhere."

"You know, I don't know what I would do without all of you," Kagome said gratefully.

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Kagome neatly stood the last folder next to the existing stack in the corner of Yuka's living room, the entire stack leaning in turn on her boxes of clothes. The young woman stretched to relieve the ache in her back from being hunched over for the last four hours as she put her scattered notes into a semblance of order. _That's it. Everything back where it should be, although there's still a few parts missing out of my sympathetic nervous system and the lymphatic system notes. _The girl grimaced._ I'm going to owe Hojo again._ Kagome rolled her shoulders as she glanced around.

Despite the familiar trappings of student poverty, Yuka's flat was comparatively luxurious compared to her tiny bedsit. As well as being somewhat larger, she had a separate bedroom and the bathroom had an actual tub in it as well as a shower. The carpet had spring without stains, the paint on the walls wasn't flaking and the furniture stayed together without string or gaffer tape. And of course, being just around the corner from the Komaba campus ensured that it was an awful lot safer than Kagome's digs.

Yuka was bustling around in the kitchen area preparing dinner, singing along to the radio, and Ayumi and Eri were due to come round in half an hour for the rest of the evening, loathe to leave Kagome alone for a few hours.

Studying her boxes of clothes, Kagome grimaced. _May as well do this now. _"Yuka, I have a confession."

"Hmm?" The girl glanced up, spatula in hand.

"The clothes I borrowed yesterday... they got damaged," Kagome admitted guiltily. "I saw Sha last night and he managed to rip them." At Yuka's shocked expression, Kagome hurriedly continued, "He gave me some money for you to replace them." The girl pulled the untouched roll of cash out of her pocket and stood up, moving to the kitchen area and dropping the money onto the counter top.

"I can't take all of that!" Yuka gasped. "The clothes were cheap _and_ I bought them on sale."

"At least take some of it," Kagome begged.

Yuka pulled a face, but put down the spatula to sift through the pile. Eventually, at her friend's urging, she took about an eighth. "That's still a lot more than the clothes were worth, though."

"I'll return the rest of the money when I next see him," Kagome assured her. _Considering his house,_ _why am I not surprised that Inuyasha so grossly overcompensated?_ _He may have a lot of money from the looks of it, but I'm not a charity case._

"Kagome?"

"Hmmm?" the young woman looked up nervously at the uncharacteristic gleam in Yuka's usually gentle eyes.

"How did the clothes get destroyed in the first place?"

Kagome turned a bright, incriminating red.

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That evening was declared a girls' night in by the assembled group. Ayumi appeared with a selection of mindlessly entertaining DVDs and whilst Yuka provided dinner, it was Eri who brought a huge selection of teeth-rotting snacks. The heckling commenced at the introduction, and continued through the rest of the film, despite Yuka's attempts to keep it civil.

Sprawled on the floor on a spare blanket, Kagome began to properly unwind for the first time in days. By half-way through the film, she was asleep, worn out from the emotional rollercoaster. The last thing she half remembered was being helped onto a comfortable surface.

"Inuyasha?" she asked sleepily.

"That's his full name, huh? It's Ayumi. You should sleep now, Kagome. It's been a rough few days"

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The next morning, Kagome sat in the kitchen area cradling a mug of jasmine tea whilst Yuka packed her bag for the day. Slinging it onto her shoulder, she peered anxiously at her friend.

"Are you sure you're going to be OK whilst I go to lectures?"

"Yes. I've already phoned the University Dean's secretary this morning and explained that I'm taking up their offer of a few days away from campus and they're clearing it with the staff." Kagome chewed her lip. "Yuka, I know this sounds odd, but could you not tell people where I'm staying? There's already too much gossip about me with the award ceremony this week, and this break-in would just add to it all."

Yuka gave her a sympathetic look. "Of course. Ayumi already said something similar. The spare keys are in the drawer under the kettle, help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen and I'll investigate to make sure that Kagewaki really has been banned from campus. Did you want me to ask Hojo to grab notes for you again?"

_It figures Ayumi would have already thought about it and primed everyone. I'm __definitely__ glad she's on my side. _"Please. Also, Professor Nakamura has put a reading list in my pigeon hole; if you check your post, could you grab that for me?"

"Will do. I'll see you later, and take care."

"You're the best, Yuka. Thanks."

Kagome sighed as the door closed behind her, the cheerful facade dropping. _I don't think I can face the attention this week with the Award, especially with everything else that's happened. _Picking up her textbooks, she started thumbing through the pages. Her overdue essays from the weekend had never seemed less appealing.

After half an hour the words were swimming in front of her eyes. Kagome gave up and stared out of the open window at the rooftops, pondering recent events. A movement of grey, black and tan on a far building caught her attention, and her heart stopped. The young woman stood up slowly. The figure hesitated, before waving in a friendly fashion. Peering carefully, she made out something wagging. _I know that tail! Well, I did say I'd accept an escort. _Kagome wryly shook her head and beckoned him with her hand, before putting the kettle on. She had just reached for the cups when the window creaked behind her.

"Good morning, Kouga. Rose Cangon tea?" she offered cordially without turning around.

"Morning, Beautiful. Tea's good, but do you have to make such a girly one?" he grumbled.

Ignoring the complaint, Kagome poured the water before handed the steaming mug to the wolf demon. "So you're keeping an eye on me today?"

"More like bodyguarding, since Naraku's taken a personal interest in you. Shippo and me are taking turns for the next few days to keep an eye out. We'll pull Dog Breath over when he's calmed down."

Kagome silently absorbed that titbit on Inuyasha's mental state, before sipping her own tea. "Are you just going to hang around outside?"

"Pretty much, until you get over whatever falling out you had with the mutt, or His Lordship gets pissed off and changes things." Kouga swallowed a mouthful of tea before pinning the young woman with a piercing gaze. "Look, Beautiful. Your situation's not great and you need to get over whatever's pissing you off 'cause Sess has limited patience. The only reason he's letting you roam loose is 'cause you're the best link to Naraku right now. Oh, and 'cause it's stopping the mutt from going postal."

"Inuyasha's not taking this well, then."

Kouga gave a snort. "If you were my woman, I'd haul you back to the house where I could make sure you were safe, instead of taking my temper out on every lowlife that crosses my path and ripping up the slums."

"That's... not good."

"Fuck no, it's not. At least you've had the sense not to stay in your wreck of a flat and hide out here. Might stop Naraku from tracking you down so fast." Kouga shrugged. "So what's the deal with you inviting me in? Got the impression you wanted to be left alone."

Kagome tilted her head in thought, acknowledging that she felt far safer with Kouga in the flat. "I want some space to get things straight in my head; that doesn't mean I'm going to be stupid, or leave you standing outside for the sake of it. I'm going to be working all day so I'll be ignoring you, and my friend who rents this flat is back around half four, but you're welcome to stay until then. I think Yuka's got an old games console there if you want to use it. Just... don't mention that we're all cozy to Inuyasha in case he takes it badly."

To her consternation, Kouga grinned mischievously. As he headed to the television, his tail waving, he breezily assured, "Wouldn't dream of it, Beautiful."

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Kouga left at four twenty. Kagome was unsurprised when three minutes later, Yuka let herself back in.

"Hi Kagome. How are you doing?"

"OK, I think. How was today?"

"Never mind my day; I did some scouting for you and chatted to the staff. Kagewaki's definitely off campus, and all the campus security know not to let him in, so the Dean's kept his promise." Yuka reached into her bag and fished out a pile of papers. "Also, Hojo's given me some notes for you and I picked up your reading list."

"Thanks, Yuka." Kagome answered gratefully, taking the notes and skimming over them. "So, how were your lectures today?"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

The two girls spent the rest of their day working at the table, books spread between them. The evening was spent in companionable silence with Yuka, watching television and reading old, comforting books that wrapped around her mind like a cosseting blanket.

That night, however, she cried herself to sleep over the unfairness of the whole situation. She mourned the life she'd dreamed of, the trust she'd had in her vigilante, and the shattering of her half-formed plans for the future with him. It didn't really help the situation, but it allowed her to sleep from pure emotional exhaustion.

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Tuesday wasn't too different. Kagome worked at the flat whilst Yuka went to the General Library on campus as some of the books for her dissertation were reference-only. Kouga hung about playing video games or prowling around the nearby rooftops. He made a point of telling her that the day before her bedsit had been decimated _again_ by the unpleasant duo, and that Inuyasha was certain Naraku's henchmen were still watching it. Additionally, Sesshomaru had involved himself in the watch-and-wait game that had been set in motion, and yesterday had seen both Kanna and someone called 'Kagura' in the University grounds. The wolf prince nodded in grim satisfaction as she paled in alarm.

"They're looking for it, Beautiful, and it looks like they think you're the best way to get it."

The young woman found herself disappointed every time a figure silently entered the room through the window, half anticipating a flash of silver hair. _I miss him, _she admitted to herself as she worked on the latest set of Hojo's borrowed notes. _I wish I he was here to tell me it will be alright._

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

That night, when Yuka was out on a date and Ayumi was at the Law Society Dinner, Eri and Kagome attempted to eat their own body weight in popcorn whilst watching bad comedies. As the credits rolled on the first film, Kagome padded to the kitchen area with the empty bowl to make the third refill.

"Kagome, can I ask you something?"

"Anything; you know that."

"How come your Sha's not been round?" Eri asked curiously.

The bowl slipped through Kagome's fingers. Only a quick grab allowed the girl to rescue the crockery from a certain demise. "Why do you ask?"

"I would have expected him to be here and we'd get to finally meet him. I mean, perverted tutors and a break-in? I thought you said he was in law enforcement? I figured he'd be all over this. And Yuka made some crack about him destroying your clothing."

"I, well... we... " Kagome hesitated, unsure of what exactly to say.

"Oh Gods, did you break up? I'm so sorry," Eri hurriedly apologised, noticing Kagome's stricken expression. "Forget I asked."

"No, no," Kagome shook her head, putting the bowl down. _Well, if anyone can give relationship advice, it's Eri. _Making a decision, she leant against the counter and explained,"No, we're not broken up, but... we're having a hiccup."

Eri propped her chin on her hand, the sharp lines of her hair swinging near her palm. "What kind of hiccup?"

"I just discovered a few things that made me realise a lot of what I'd... been setting my heart on wasn't possible, and I need to think about it all." At Eri's confused expression, she expanded, "For example, if you desperately wanted to get married but realised your partner was opposed to the whole concept. That sort of thing."

"Ahh... you've hit a dealbreaker." Eri said sympathetically.

"Dealbreaker?"

"It's the term I use for things which can make or break a relationship, and they're usually deeply held beliefs that are really hard to compromise on." Eri tucked some hair behind her ear in a rare gesture of self-consciousness. "I don't want children, so a dealbreaker for me is that I can't settle with someone who is set on having babies. It's just not fair either way around: for me to deprive them of something they really want or for them to try and push me into something I don't want that will last for the rest of my life. It doesn't matter how much I like that person, I know that my feelings on the subject won't change. So, if we've been going out a while, we have the baby conversation, and if we don't match, then... that's it."

"I knew you didn't want children, but I didn't realise it was that serious," Kagome replied, fascinated. "You've never really said."

"It's not something I talk a lot about, because everyone tells me I'm too young to know, but I've felt this way ever since I can remember," Eri shrugged. "So, what's yours?"

"A normal life." The words came out before Kagome could stop them. "Because of... the career... Sha has, we'd never have a normal life. No husband that comes home at six o'clock, no sweet house with a small garden, no lazy Sunday mornings together talking about work and what's happening with the neighbours and our friends. I don't even know how I'd fit into his life. And there's the fact that I look identical to his ex-girlfriend, which never helps matters."

"Is this more important to you than he is?"

"I don't know." At Eri's raised eyebrows, she grimaced, "I think he's more important, no, I _know _he's more important, but I just never really properly thought what it would mean and I feel like I'm in a tailspin."

"Have you talked to him about all of this?" Eri asked quietly.

"Err... no. I sort of went into meltdown when it all came out and asked him to give me space."

"Do you want to try and make it work?" Kagome nodded. "Then talk to him about it. You at least owe it to him to discuss your concerns if you're going to base a major decision on them. And as to the ex-girlfriend thing... it sucks, but he can't help what his ex looked like. He hadn't met you then."

There was a long pause as Kagome examined her feelings. _I never did give him a chance to explain about everything. Yes, he omitted the truth, but he never lied to me. And we never did discuss what it meant to be with a hanyou on Saturday; we got distracted. It's not going to be comfortable, but we need to have the conversation. I've just been a coward. _Finally Kagome met her friend's gaze. "You're right."

Eri nodded, before grimacing comically. "Ayumi's going to kill me for talking you into it. I don't know why, but I know she's really not keen on your Sha!"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

That night after leaving Eri's, Kagome took a deep breath and dialled the Pack phone. She fidgeted as the ringtone repeated in her ear.

"_There's no-one here to answer your call. Please leave a message after the tone."_

"Hi, Inuyasha... it's Kagome. I'd really like to talk to you. Can you give me a call or come and see me please?"

The girl put her mobile down, opened the window in Yuka's main room and settled down on the inflatable mattress to wait, her stomach churning with a frisson of anticipation. The clock ticked with the agonisingly regularity, a metronome of isolation in the still night. Despite her best intentions, Kagome felt herself drifting off.

_Will he wake me when he comes?_

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

It was Wednesday; the day before the presentation. It was clear Inuyasha hadn't come by during the night: pushing that disappointment away, Kagome spent a portion of the morning on the phone with the Dean going through details of the Taisho Award. She politely declined his invitation to come and discuss it in person, despite his assurances Kagewaki hadn't been on campus since. _It's not Kagewaki I'm worried about__,__ but the others._ Yuka shook her head at some of the conversation; since her Wednesday morning was empty of classes, she'd settled at the table with Kagome to put some extra hours on her dissertation.

Yuka left just after lunch to attend her lectures, and with some trepidation, Kagome leaned out through the open window, fruitlessly scanning for the telltale signs of a youkai watcher.

"Kouga?" she murmured softly. "Are you there?"

"No, but I am." Kagome twisted her head to look up, then gaped as a grinning red-head waved down at her from his perch on the window sill above. "You called?"

"Do you want to come in?"

"Don't mind if I do." Shippo jumped to her ledge with alacrity and swung himself in. "It's better being in here than stuck in the heat out there."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

"Shippo, do you know where Inuyasha is?" Kagome finally asked, having been debating for an hour whether to even ask the question.

The kitsune glanced away from the game he'd been playing, fixing her with astute green eyes. "He's out on patrol."

"Oh, OK." Kagome's shoulders slumped slightly.

"This to do with the message you left on the answering machine yesterday?" Kagome flushed tellingly, and he gave a short laugh. "You're not being ignored. He didn't come back last night so he hasn't heard it. He should be back tonight; I'll tell him to make sure he comes round since you're pining."

The girl shook her head. "I'm staying at a different friend's flat tonight as there's the Award Ceremony tomorrow, and she's insisting that I borrow some clothes for the occasion." Actually, Eri had been a little more vocal than that on their movie evening. Evidently, the shadows under Kagome's eyes and her wan looks were not acceptable when the press were coming, and both Yuka and Ayumi had agreed. "But could you ask if he would phone me?"

"No problem." Shippo paused to type in a high score into the console, scowling as Kouga's name still ranked at the top. "Does this mean you're speaking again? 'Cause if you are, it would make my life infinitely easier: I haven't seen the mutt on such a short fuse for a couple of hundred years." He rubbed his head ruefully. "I have lumps."

"I think so. Or at least we need to talk through some things. I didn't... give him a fair chance to speak last time. Too much going on that I needed to work through." Kagome paused, fiddling with a pen. "Shippo?"

"Yeah?"

"Will it be safe going to the Award Ceremony? Kouga told me some of Naraku's henchmen have been seen on campus."

Shippo shrugged. "Nothing's ever guaranteed to be safe, but we're all going to be there tomorrow, so it should be. Don't worry; we'll look after you."

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

That night, while Eri popped down the road for a take-away, Kagome sat cross-legged on her floor, pondering the outfit choices the fashionista had laid out before her. Absentmindedly, she reached out to pick up the ringing mobile. Her frown transformed into a fond smile at the number displayed on the screen.

"Hi Mama," she greeted warmly. "It's good to hear from you."

"Good evening Kagome! I wanted to wish you good luck for tomorrow. I really wish we could have come to watch, but it was such short notice we couldn't organise anything."

"I know, Mama. You already apologised when I told you last week. I don't mind, honestly. It'll just be a bunch of speeches from other people. I'll be on stage for one minute, tops, to receive the award, a handshake, and death glares from all the women in the audience."

Her mother laughed. "I looked up your patrons on the internet. They're _very_ handsome."

"It's been pointed out to me a number of times," Kagome answered dryly, remembering the infamous Hurricane Taisho visit, when both men had taken a personal interest. With a start of surprise, she realised her mental image of the brothers had become slightly altered. _Why did I just imagine Sha Taisho with golden eyes? _"Anyway, how are you?"

"We're good here. Work is busy, and Souta made the track team and so currently is both endearingly and insufferably smug. He's convinced that athletic prowess, combined with his scar, will make him irresistible to girls and I don't have the heart to disillusion him," her mother replied, amused. There was noise in the background and a querulous voice. "Oh, and your grandfather wants to know if his parcel arrived." Her voice dropped into a whisper. "He wouldn't let me vet it this time, so I hope it wasn't too horrendous."

"It came, and it was actually one of his better ones." Kagome kept her voice level, swallowing the lump in her throat as she recalled the broken yellow Maneki Neko on the floor amidst the glass debris. _I'm not telling them about the break-in until after the ceremony__;__ it'll just worry them and there's nothing my family can do to help. I __hate__ lying to Mama, even by omission, but it's for their benefit. _"Would you put him on the line so I can thank him personally?"

"Yes, of course."

There was a shuffling and static as the phone handset was transferred.

"Hello?" The cantankerous tone made the girl smile.

"Good evening, Grandfather."

"Kagome! It's good to hear your voice. Did you ever use that ointment I sent you to increase your memory a couple of months ago?"

"Wasn't that the one made out of monkey urine and Durian fruit?"

"See, you remember! It's working already!"

"It was hard to forget," the young woman responded wryly. "I don't think the Post Office will ever be the same. You really should check the watertight seals on these things more carefully."

"It's not my fault they don't appreciate traditional cures when they smell them." She heard him snicker, before he added, "Well, the latest package has _a lot_ of seals on it."

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his glee. "I saw. I picked it up on Wednesday last week."

"Finally! What did you think? Did you like the sutra set?"

_What did I think? I think that parcel had a pack of trouble in it. I wonder... did Grandfather know what he sent me? But then, there was that note about being its keeper. Only one way to find out..._ "The set was lovely, but I have a question for you. How did you acquire the Shikon-no-Tama?"

There was a long, loaded silence. "So that's what it is," the older man said finally.

"What...?"

"Wait," he interrupted gently, and Kagome obediently went silent. There was the sound of movement, and her grandfather telling her mother he was taking the phone into his study. After some shuffling of feet and the creak of a door, he came back on the line, somewhat breathless. "Now we can talk. I don't want to upset your mother. No, I didn't know what it was, but I've heard of the Shikon-No-Tama. It's the Jewel that can grant any wish."

"How did you know about it?" Kagome asked in astonishment.

"Granddaughter, I am a Shrine Guardian. Unlike _some_ people, I like legends and when I was younger I listened when my elders talked," he said reprovingly. "How did you find out its name?"

"It's been recognised," Kagome admitted.

"By whom?" he asked in surprise. "It's a fairly obscure legend."

"A few people," the young woman evaded. "How long have you had the Jewel?"

There was a pause as her Grandfather conveyed his disapproval of the subject change before answering. "Five years. Nearly six."

Kagome turned that one over. _So the Higurashis have had the Jewel the whole time._ _I think The_ _Pack might have been right. The Spider must have been after the Jewel when the Shrine was repeatedly__broken into because the time frame fits perfectly. _"Where did you get it from? It was supposed to have been burned with the original Priestess."

Her grandfather sighed heavily. "From you. I did say you were the Keeper."

The girl shook her head, confused. "But... I've never owned this before."

"No, it came from _you_. Remember on your fifteenth birthday, when you fell into the Shrine's well while trying to rescue the cat? You badly injured yourself and had to go into hospital. The Jewel was lodged _inside_ your body, and it was removed surgically."

_From inside me? I was carrying a magical artefact __inside__ of me? That's not normal! _"It was a bone fragment," the girl protested, her fingers going white on the handset.

"I told your mother that as I didn't want her to worry. It was unnatural."

_I had the Shikon Jewel in my body the whole time, yet it was destroyed with Kikyo. I dream of her, and I look like her... _Kagome's mouth twisted in pained acceptance. _I really __must__ be her reincarnation._ "Grandfather... I have a question for you as an ex-Shrine Guardian. If you are someone's reincarnation, do you share their feelings?"

"Huh?" he floundered at the seeming non-sequitur.

"I mean, if your predecessor really cared about something or someone, would you feel the same because of them?"

"Why would you? You learn to care about things through experience. No-one really falls in love at first sight. Your Grandmother and I despised each other when we first met; I fell in love with her later after she tried to sell me a dried kappa hand like the one I gave you. It's why I always thought an arranged marriage was a good idea," he reminisced.

Kagome chewed over his response. _Well, I definitely didn't fall in love at first sight. In fact__,__ he worried me and I nearly called the police, and then his odd behaviour wound me up more than once. It was only after I got to know him that I came to care a lot more. I guess... at least on my side... that my feelings are my own. _"Thank you."

"In return, I have a question for you. Who are these friends of yours? The ones who recognised the Jewel?"

_I could lie, but there's been too much of that lately. I'm already concealing the break-in. Plus, Grandfather does seem to know a lot more than I credited him for. _"They're youkai," Kagome confessed. "They knew the original Priestess, Kikyo from the legend. I think... I think I'm her reincarnation."

To his eternal credit, her Grandfather took her revelation in his stride. "Have they threatened you? Are you alright?"

Kagome's mouth curled into a smile at the immediate response. _Sometimes I forget how lucky I am._ _I have so many people who care about me. _"No, they've promised to protect me."

"Hmmph." Kagome could almost hear his mind ticking over. "Didn't the Priestess fall in love with a youkai, or rather, a hanyou?"

"Yes."

"Is he one of the youkai you know?"

"Yes." Kagome winced, predicting the coming explosion and holding the phone away from her ear.

"Kagome Higurashi! Now I understand why you were asking about reincarnation! What have you being doing with that hanyou? If he compromises your virtue I'm going to purify him!"

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ

Late that night, curled on Eri's sofabed, Kagome contemplated the next day with unfamiliar nerves dancing in her stomach. _Tomorrow is the Award Ceremony. I have to see the Taisho brothers again, be stared at and gossiped about by the entire student body, and I'll probably be in the papers. It's going to be Hell, and that's before we include Naraku._

Kagome pulled a face, irritated at herself and her negative outlook. _The Award will make my life so much easier, and I can afford a better place to stay, so it's a good thing. Shippo promised The Pack would be there to keep an eye on me, so it'll be fine. And afterwards, I'll sit down with Inuyasha because I didn't give him a fair chance to explain, to talk it out, and I miss him. It may not be the life I was planning for, but it doesn't mean it's not valid._

The sudden, unexpected outburst of music from her mobile made the girl jump. _That's loud! _

Kagome scrabbled for the phone for fear of waking Eri.

"Hi wench." The gruff, uncertain tones of a certain hanyou, unheard for three days, caused the young woman to still for a second.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah. I heard you wanted to talk." His voice was wary.

"I do..." Kagome stalled, unsure where to start.

"Uh..." She could almost picture him raking his hair back with his claws. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Us, and where we go from here." Kagome remembered her conversation with Eri, "I do want to make this work..."

"Thank the _fuck_ for that," he muttered, although the ice had melted enough to make the young woman smile.

"... But I need to know _everything_ this time, from your age to what you'd expect from me, not just bits and pieces. I need to understand what I'm getting into... well, what I'm involved in."

"I'll tell you everything you want to know," he promised earnestly. "I don't expect anything from you except to be yourself, Kagome. That's all I want."

"Can you meet me tomorrow evening?"

"I can do that," his voice was back in the warm tones that made her bones melt. "I'll pick you up at eight from Yuka's, right?"

"Sounds good. And Inuyasha... "

"Yeah?"

"I've missed you."

"You too, wench."

The line went dead, and Kagome lay back with a growing sense of peace. _Tomorrow will be a good day. _

Ұ Ф Ұ Ф Ұ


End file.
